Domestic Drabbles of Discord's Dimension
by GeekCat
Summary: Fluttershy and Discord have been through a lot, in their friendship and their romance. But finally, they're married, and things can settle down now...right? Fluttershy should have known that things aren't that easy when Discord's involved. A collection of random, fluffy drabbles. Not much of a plot here.
1. Breakfast Blues

Fluttershy yawned quietly as her eyes slowly fluttered open. Purple light was streaming in softly from the window in their bedroom. As she breathed in the early morning air, she felt a weight on her chest, a slight pressure.

She glanced down, and of course, there was Discord's paw, wrapped around her torso. Her husband was still snoring softly behind her, and a small grin spread on her face.

_Alright, I can do this!_, she thought. She carefully lifted his paw off of her, placing a large, white pillow underneath it. She slid towards the edge of the bed, trying not to rustle the covers as she went.

A smile spread on her face as her hooves made contact with the floorboards...A smile that fell as several of them squeaked loudly under her.

Discord's ears flicked, and he quietly snorted as his snoring came to a halt. He woke up, yawning loudly and stretching. Fluttershy thought, _Maybe I could—_

But Discord's red-and-yellow eyes were already focused on her. "Ah, good morning, my dear!," he said cheerfully. "Come here, come here!" He waved her close to him.

She obliged, crawling back onto the bed. He pulled her close to him, giving her a small kiss on the cheek. "You're up early," he murmured.

She blushed. "It's not that early...is it?"

He shrugged. "I don't actually know what time it is. Just seemed like the right thing to say." She couldn't help but giggle, making a grin spread on Discord's face. "Anyway, now that you're up..."

He snapped his fingers, and a large stack of pancakes appeared in front of Fluttershy, giving off small wisps of steam. Next to them, on the silver tray which sat comfortably in her lap, was a tall glass of chocolate milk, and a decently-sized orange.

Her stomach growled, causing her to blush and Discord to chuckle. As she dug into the meal, she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed in herself.

_Maybe_ _tomorrow..._

* * *

Pinkish light danced over Fluttershy's face as her eyes fluttered open. With a yawn, she glanced over to her husband's side of the bed...only to find him missing.

For a second, she was worried. It disappeared immediately, though, since she knew that Discord would often disappear to do unknown things, and that he was fully capable of handling himself. Then, a smile spread on her face. She had woken up a bit earlier today, and if he wasn't here...!

She scrambled out of bed, poking her head out of the bedroom door and glancing around. Seeing that the coast was clear, she flew down the tunnel quietly, keeping her eyes peeled for Discord.

The grin on her face grew wide when she made it to the pale yellow doors she had been searching for. She still hadn't seen any trace of Discord. She reached out with a hoof and slowly began to open the door.

_Today, I can finally—_ Her train of thought was cut off as she entered the room. This was their kitchen, with its tile floor of ever-shifting colors and impossibly spacious counters, the pastel-painted walls lined with various drawers and cupboards.

But to her surprise, the kitchen was already in use. The smell of pastries wafted from the oven, while pancakes sizzled in dozens of pans on the stovetop. Fruits, exotic and local, were flying out of the fridge and the cupboards and into colorful bowls laid out on the unique table in the middle of the room.

And Discord was right in the middle of it all, humming merrily and coordinating everything with small flicks of his fingers.

Fluttershy silently bemoaned her bad luck. Why wouldn't Discord be in the kitchen? She slowly tried to slink out of the room, feeling a bit put out, but her husband's ear twitched, and he turned to face her. His face lit up.

"Fluttershy!," he cried. "Good morning, my dear! Come in, don't be so shy!"

She approached him, smiling softly at his enthusiasm. He gestured to the table, covered in fruits, pastries, and pancakes. "I thought I'd make us a little treat today," he said, looking pleased with himself.

She glanced at the towers of food, covering the entire tabletop. "I...don't think it's little," she said quietly. "Oh, Discord, are you sure we can eat all of this?"

He grinned. "I think you underestimate my appetite. But hey, that pile isn't going to get any smaller! How about we dig in?" He held a chair out for her, sliding a large plate of pancakes and a bowl of fruits in front of her once she had taken her place.

It took them quite some time to get through all the food, and both of them were stuffed afterwards. The room was filled with small chatter as they ate, the two of them telling each other about crazy dreams and what plans they had for the day. Everything was delicious.

But though she kept it hidden from Discord, Fluttershy was still disappointed in herself.

* * *

The next day, Fluttershy woke up before any color of light was able to dance across her eyelids. Her goal immediately flashed through her mind. She glance over at her husband, hoping that this time, he was asleep in bed.

Thankfully, he was...and with his back turned to her, even! She let out a sigh of relief, and began shifting towards the edge of the bed. Every time Discord snored, or shifted slightly, she froze, hoping he wasn't waking up. He wasn't, and would go right back to peacefully breathing deeply.

She sighed softly as she made it to the edge of the bed. All she had to do was slip out from the covers and out the door. It was the furthest she'd ever gotten. Her hoof carefully slipped out from the bedsheets, extending towards the bedroom floor.

_Finally, I can—_

Suddenly, the covers over her shifted. She quickly glanced behind her, expecting and worried to see Discord, waking up and stretching. To her relief, his eyes were still closed as he shifted in bed, rolling over to face her.

That relief disappeared as his claw began fumbling around in front of him, his brows starting to furrow in concentration. He shifted again, rolling a bit closer to her. She held her breath, waiting for him to stop moving and settle back into his deep slumber.

Then he grabbed her.

A soft squeak escaped her throat as his claw pulled her closer to him, crushing her against his chest. His muzzle buried itself into her mane, and he stopped shuffling. She could feel his warm breath, and his chest's rising and falling, as he stopped moving and began breathing deeply and calmly once again.

Frustration was building up inside of her, throbbing in her throat and chest. Even asleep, he still managed to stop her!

She was at her wits' end. She needed help, if she wanted to get anywhere. With a sigh, she curled closer to Discord, thinking of who she could talk to. His soft breathing lulled her back to sleep as she thought.

But once they had woken up and he had materialized her some breakfast (waffles and apple slices), she had the beginnings of a plan in mind.

* * *

The doorbell gave a soft chime as Fluttershy stepped into Sugarcube Corner. Pound Cake's head rose, and the young teen offered her a smile. "Miss Fluttershy!," he said. "What can I do for you?"

"Um, do you know where Pinkie Pie is?," she asked quietly. Pound Cake nodded eagerly and went further into the shop, coming out with one of her best friends in tow.

The pink mare's face lit up at the site of Fluttershy. "Hi, Shy! What's up?"

Fluttershy bit her lip. "Pinkie...can I talk with you about something?"

Pinkie blinked, but quickly nodded and led them to a booth in one of the back corners. She smiled as Fluttershy took a seat and began fiddling with her hooves. "What's up, Shy?"

Fluttershy sighed. "I...I need some advice. I've run out of ideas, and I'm not sure what to do..."

Pinkie raised an eyebrow. "What kind of advice?"

She shifted her wings, fiddling with her hooves. "It's...it's about Discord." Pinkie was quiet, waiting for her to continue. "Every morning, he's so sweet. He'll make me breakfast in bed, or cook up a feast for us...or both. He greets me with a kiss, never wakes me when he gets out of bed..."

Pinkie blinked, her brows furrowing. "I'm not sure what I can say about that. It sounds perfect!"

Fluttershy quickly nodded. "Yes, of course! It's just..." She sighed. "Every morning, I've been trying to make him breakfast before he wakes up, so that I can surprise him with something nice for once. But every time I try...I can't. He wakes up early to surprise me, he wakes up when I get out of bed, he snuggles against me so I don't want to leave—" She covered her mouth with a hoof, blushing.

Pinkie held a hoof to her chin in thought. "You really want to make him breakfast, don't you?" Fluttershy nodded. "Why don't you just tell him? That way, he won't stop you accidentally."

Fluttershy rubbed her hooves together. "I...I don't know. I wanted to surprise him..."

Her friend sighed. "Fluttershy, you're married to the embodiment of chaos. I don't think surprising him is going to be possible. Besides, wouldn't you feel better if you talked about this with Discord?"

She looked down. "I'll...think about it. Thank you, Pinkie."

* * *

And think about it she did. It kept her up that night, long after Discord had already curled around her and fallen asleep. She was still thinking as his warmth helped her drift off to sleep, and when the bright morning light woke her up.

With a soft sigh, she tried again to crawl out of her husband's grasp. To nopony's surprise, he began to shift and grumble as soon as she was out of his arms, and he was quickly blinking awake himself. He smiled softly at her, leaning up on his elbows to lean up and give her a kiss.

"Good morning," he whispered against her lips. "You want breakfast?"

"Mmm." She still felt disappointed in herself.

Discord snapped, and a tray of waffles and pancakes appeared in her lap. He snapped up his own plates and dug in, glancing over at her. She prodded the fluffy baked goods with her fork, taking small bites. Everything was delicious, but it didn't make her feel any less disappointed in herself.

Discord slowly set his fork down. "Fluttershy...is something wrong? You seem down today."

She looked down, avoiding his eyes. She thought about what Pinkie had said yesterday, and let out a sigh. "Discord...I..." A deep breath. "I love how sweet you are you me. I love how you make me breakfast in bed. But...I feel like I haven't done anything to thank you. I...I've being trying to surprise you with breakfast in bed. But every morning, I fail. And...and I just feel bad that I can't do anything for you in return."

The room was silent. She was too nervous to look at him. The silence was broken when she let out a small 'eep' as Discord laid his muzzle on top of her head.

"My dear sweet Fluttershy," he sighed. "You don't need to do anything for me. Just choosing to be by my side is all I could ever ask from you." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, and I express it in any way I can. Just knowing that you love me in return is all I need to make me happy."

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch with a sigh. "I just...I still want to do something for you. Because I love you."

He chuckled. "And that's why I keep making breakfast for you. I thought it made you happy, so I did it as much as I could."

She nodded swiftly. "It does make me happy! But..."

With a hum, he pulled away, though her kept a hand on top of her head. She turned to look at him, and saw him stroking his goatee in thought, a smirk forming on his face. "What is it?," she asked, causing him to grin, a gleam of an idea in his eyes.

* * *

Fluttershy smiled as she threw a hooffull of blueberries into the pancake batter she was mixing. Nodding in satisfaction, she slid the bowl down the counter, closer to the oven.

Discord caught it and summoned a skillet, pouring the batter in while he positioned the skillet on the oven, next to the other two that already had sizzling batter in them. Fluttershy came closer, breathing deeply the scent of pancakes intermingled with fruit and chocolate.

Discord smiled as he started flipping some of the pancakes dramatically, juggling them in the air and catching them in different pans. Fluttershy giggled, then reached over him to carefully flip a few of the more well-done pancakes he had missed.

In the end, they made three towering plates of pancakes together, which they barely managed to get through. The next morning, Fluttershy woke up and chose to snuggle against Discord until he awoke, before they headed down to make waffles together.

At that was how it went every morning: the two of them, waking up to make breakfast together.


	2. The Mane Thing

Fluttershy's eyes slowly cracked open as she softly yawned and stretched. As she sat up in bed, she felt a slight pressure—a tug—on her scalp. She carefully turned her head, trying to see what had happened.

A smirk appeared on her face when she saw a skinny, yellow arm reaching up to her head. Reaching up, she carefully untangled Discord's claw from her mane. Her husband twitched, letting out a small huff, but didn't wake up.

As she ran a hoof through her mane, smoothing it out, she watched Discord's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful. For a second, she thought about trying to sneak off and surprise him, but dismissed the idea. He would wake up if she left, and he deserved some rest.

She curled up against his side, nuzzling into his chest. He murmured something unintelligible, and his claw twitched, moving slowly to curl around her, trying to dig into her mane again. She giggled softly.

Time passed by in a comfortable haze, and Discord twitched and began to wake up, yawning loudly and stretching. Fluttershy leaned up towards him, and the two of them shared a quick kiss. "Good morning," she said softly.

"To you as well," he murmured. Fluttershy began to crawl out of bed, but was surprised when Discord gently grabbed onto her hoof, stopping her. When she looked back, he was pouting, his pupils wide and shiny. "Stay just a few more minutes?," he whined.

She sighed and shook her head. "Discord...you know I'm seeing Rarity at the spa today. And before that, I have to eat breakfast and check on the animals." The draconequus huffed, but released her hoof.

The two of them emerged from the covers and headed for the kitchen. Discord began making pancakes, juggling them between pans like it was some kind of game. Fluttershy was busy chopping up fruits and choosing what ingredients to add to the batter.

In the end, they had stacks of pancakes filled with chocolate chips, apple slices, orange juice, and various types of berries. The two of them ate happily, chattering about what they hoped to do today.

"So, my dear, what are you and Rarity planning to do today, exactly?," he asked her, taking a large bite out of ten different pancakes.

She smiled, taking a small, dainty bite. "Oh, not much. Just the normal spa trips we used to take, before she became so busy. Small things, really. Face masks, the sauna, a hooficure..."

* * *

"A-a makeover?!," squeaked Fluttershy.

Rarity nodded and smiled, handing her a pamphlet. "It's nothing to worry about, darling," she said confidently. "Sometimes a bit of change is nice. All it is is a mane styling, makeup appliance, and hoof polish!"

Fluttershy gulped, looking at the pamphlet. "That...sounds like a lot."

Rarity sighed. "Sweetie, it's nothing to worry about. The makeup will wash off if you don't like it, and hoof polish is simple to take off if you have the right items for the job."

"...What about the manestyle?"

Rarity paused. "Well, you don't need to do anything too extreme if you don't feel like it." She smiled. "But trying a new style can be fun!"

Fluttershy bit her lip. She glanced back at the pamphlet, showing pictures of different manestyles. "Alright..."

* * *

Fluttershy slipped through the shimmering portal that appeared after she and Rarity had left the spa. She quickly spotted Discord outside their house, wrangling with some strange, large, moving flower. Some of the bunnies she recognized from the sanctuary were running away, quickly fleeing into another blue portal.

His head snapped up towards her as he managed to fling the monster flower off of the patch of earth. "Fluttershy! How was you day with—" He stared at her, his eyes widening.

She shuffled her hooves. Rarity had been so insistent that they went all out. Her hooves had been coated with a glossy, glittery pink polish. The same shade was used for her eyeshadow, and her lashes had been coated with black mascara. Her lips were painted lightly with a pink gloss.

But Discord's eyes were focused on her mane—her much shorter mane.

Rarity, Aloe and Lotus had all insisted that bob cuts were very fashionable right now. And that one would look very cute on her. Rarity had even added with a whisper and wink that it could catch Discord by surprise in a good way. Fluttershy had blushed and agreed to the new style.

But Discord's blank expression was making her self-conscious. "Discord? I-is something wrong?," she asked quietly.

Discord blinked and shook his head. "No! No no...you just surprised me, that's all. You look...cute." Fluttershy looked away with a blush, flying up to him and nuzzling him. He reached up with his claw, petting her mane. She leaned into his touch, enjoying the sensation of his fingers brushing against her scalp.

His fingers quickly slipped through her tresses, short as it was cut now. He blinked in surprise, letting out a small chuckle.

"So, did you enjoy your day with Rarity?," he asked, opening the door of their house for her. She nodded in response, smiling when she saw their tea set laid out for the two of them.

She sat down as Discord poured her a cup of tea, telling him about everything that had happened, while he talked about how he kept the garden away from the rabbits. That was how they passed the time until dinner, and before they turned in for an early night.

* * *

Fluttershy slowly blinked awake. She took in a deep breath, her chest feeling heavier than normal. She glanced down at her torso. Discord's lion paw was wrapped tightly around her, squeezing her tightly. She pushed at it lightly, moving it so she was able to breathe more easily.

As she rolled to face him and snuggle into his fur, she felt something slip from her mane. A glance back told her it was Discord's eagle talon. He grunted, his eyes twitching, and his claw began to fumble around on the pillows until it manged to bury itself back into her mane.

And as soon as he managed to get it, his fingers slipped right out.

With a groan, he tried again. And again. After the third time his grip slipped away, he finally started to blink awake. She smiled and leaned forward, giving him a soft kiss as he cleared the last bit of sleep from his eyes.

He sat up with a yawn, snapping his fingers. With a flash, they were in the kitchen, Fluttershy nestled into the crook of his arm. He opened the fridge with a flick of his head, fresh fruits suddenly sprouting wings and flying towards the counter. She tried to fly out of his grip, but he only held her closer, nuzzling into the top of her head.

Playfully rolling her eyes at him, she snuggled against his chest with a sigh. He approached the counter, handing her a bowl and placing in ingredients with his tail, while she began to mix. They made less pancakes than usual, though it was still a good amount, and Discord refused to let go of her the entire process.

He finally, reluctantly let her go when it was time for them to eat. "So, what are you doing today?," he asked as a bottle of coconut syrup floated in her direction.

"Oh, not much," she answered. "Just hoping to do some work in the sanctuary. I've been thinking of some new improvements I can make."

He sighed. "You know I can always snap up anything you need, right?"

She smiled. "Yes, I know. But I like doing things with my own hooves." He rolled his eyes with a grumble. She giggled.

* * *

For the seventh time that morning, she blew her mane out of her face.

It was so strange. She had thought that with less mane on her head, it would be in her face less often. But no. Instead, it was just harder for her to control it and keep it where she wanted.

She huffed and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. When her mane was long, she could easily tuck it behind her ears, or shake her head to move it out of her face. The short mane would easily (and constantly) slide out from behind her ear, and shaking her head only caused more of it to fall in front of her face.

After the tenth time, she sighed and flew towards a shimmering blue portal. She headed into the house, flying towards the bathroom. Discord, relaxing in the living room, perked up as she entered, peering over the newspaper he was reading. He slowly followed Fluttershy, and saw her rummaging through some of the bathroom drawers.

"Fluttershy?," he asked, rapping on the frame of the door. Her ears flicked up, and she turned to him. "Is everything alright, dear?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes. I'm just looking for some mane pins." She turned back to the drawer, and her mane slid in front of her face again. She sighed and brushed it out of her face as she continued her search.

Discord approached her, clutching onto fistfuls of various pins. "May I?"

She paused, then nodded. He approached her, his fingers brushing all of her mane back behind her head. The pins floated in the air with his magic, slipping effortlessly against her scalp before clicking shut, clamping large amounts of hair within. He grumbled a few unkind words under his breath as her mane slipped out of his fingers and the pins, but eventually, everything was heavily pinned back.

She shook her head lightly as he let his fingers slip out, testing the pins. She smiled that none of her mane ended up in the face, though the sensation of her mane being pulled back so tightly wasn't pleasant. "Thank you, Discord."

She flew up to give him a peck on the cheek. He smiled, his face turning pink, gently cupping where her lips had brushed against him as she flew back through one of the portals to the sanctuary.

* * *

Fluttershy sighed as she struggled to shove more pins into her mane. How could having less mane make it more difficult to handle?

Discord floated by the bathroom and saw her, her mane sticking out in all directions, pins hanging limply from several strands. He bit his lip, trying not to laugh. She shot him a look between a pout, asking for help, and a glare, warning him against laughing.

He still let out a chuckle as he approached her. "Third day in a row," he commented as he slid the stuck pins out. With a few flicks of his wrists, her mane was smoothed out, the knots untangled. He pulled her mane back and began to insert the pins. "I think [i]I'm[/i] improving, at least."

She scowled at him in the mirror, causing him to laugh. She sighed. "Honestly, I...I liked my old manestyle better. I didn't know short manes would be harder to manage."

"It's probably just because you're used to a long one," he replied. "Though...I...kind of liked your old mane better, too. I mean, you look very cute!," he exclaimed. "It's just that your old style was so soft and nice to...not that it isn't soft now! I just liked running my—" he clamped his mouth shut, his face turning bright red.

She smiled. "I...that's one of the reasons I miss my old mane. I...I like it when you—" she blushed and turned her head away. Discord groaned as all of her mane slid out of his grasp, some of the pins coming out and falling to the floor. Fluttershy sighed, "I'm sorry."

Discord grinned, his fingers ready to snap, a gleam shining in his eyes. "Well, we both miss your old mane. Why don't we skip dealing with all this until it grows out and just fix it with a little magic?"

She hesitated, biting her lip in thought. "Okay."

A loud snap echoed, and a bright flash filled the room, before a sound like rushing water filled their ears.

* * *

Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes, her head feeling very heavy. She blinked at the sight she saw.

The entire bathroom was filled with her light pink mane. She lifted her head up with great effort, searching for Discord. She gasped when she spotted his legs on the other side of the bathroom, the rest of him buried under pink mane. She fluttered her wings, wading through the hair.

Discord managed to pull himself up, a shocked expression on his face. "Right. Manes have excess magic in them," he grumbled. "Fortunately, this is an easier fix."

He lifted up his lion paw, a large pair of scissors flashing into them. He dove into the mane, popping up beside Fluttershy. With a quick motion, he slashed at her mane and tail several feet behind her. She yelped in surprise, jumping slightly.

She turned, about to scold him for startling her, when she froze. Her head still felt weighed down, but it was easier to handle now. She tried to wade through the waves of mane on the ground, but still had trouble making progress. Discord floated over to her, scissors placed behind his ear, before scooping her up into his arms and flying out of the bathroom.

They both blinked in surprise when they entered the living room, which was equally full of her mane. Discord turned and headed towards the stairs, half-buried under hair. He brought her to their bedroom, set her gently down on the edge of the bed, and grabbed the scissors from behind his ear.

She turned around, showing him her back. He began to carefully snip away at her long mane and tail, carefully undoing any knots he came across. "Do you want it at about the same length as before?," he asked, brushing his claw through a thick tangle.

"Mmm...I think I'd like to try something new," she mused. Discord raised an eyebrow, stretching his neck out like rubber so she was able to see his expression. She giggled. "Nothing that different! I'd just like to leave it a longer than before, that's all."

He breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief, swiping at his forehead with the back of his paw. With a flick of his tail, a full-length mirror poofed in front of her. "What length would you like? Here? This? Or...this?" He slid his claw up and down her mane, indicating different lengths.

She gestured towards the near ends of the mane. He blinked. "Are you sure? That long, and you might trip over it!"

She smiled. "I can always pin it up and out of the way. Hopefully that'll be easier than dealing with the bob cut."

He nodded and cut her mane and tail to the lengths she had indicated. Before she could get up, he pulled a blue flower from behind his back, and with a little twisting of the stem, pinned up her mane in a loop.

"Thank you, Discord," she said, turning to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I suppose we should clean out the house before I go to the sanctuary..."

"Don't worry about it! You run along, and I'll get the house cleaned up before you know it!" With a flick of his claw, a blue portal appeared in front of her. "Off you go!"

Once she was through, he floated downstairs. A groan escaped him when he saw just how much mane there was in there house. "It'll take forever to clean all this out," he grumbled. His eyes gleamed, and he brought his claws together. "But with just a little magic..."

He snapped his fingers.

* * *

Fluttershy flew through one of Discord's portals, eager to have lunch. Working with the animals had gone extremely well, since her mane stayed out of her face now. She was looking forward to thanking him for—

He was fighting her mane.

She froze outside the portal, staring at what was happening. Somehow, the bundles of her mane that were in the bathroom and living room had come to life. It was lashing out at Discord with tentacle-like strands, hissing and roaring. He was backing away, just barely dodging each of its attacks.

He turned to look at her, freezing and giving her a sheepish grin as he fended off another attack. The look in his eyes told her he had tried something that landed him in this mess. She sighed and flew forward, calming down the living mane and ushering it away from the house.

At least _now_ it would all finally stay out of her face.

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this. Like I said, not much of plot exists here. Just some short, fluffy stories that I might update every once in a while.**


	3. Sick Day

Fluttershy eagerly waited as her breakfast floated towards her. A large plate of pancakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream landed gently in front of her. She jumped as a plate of pancakes covered in peppers and chocolate syrup crashed at the other end of the table.

Discord shrugged, unfazed by the mess his breakfast was now in, and flopped into his chair. The two of them dug into their meals. "So, my dear, have any big plans today?," he asked, shifting a pancake back onto his plate before swallowing it whole.

"Oh, not really," she said, swallowing a bite. "Just checking up on all the animals in the—the—achoo!"

She sniffed and wiped her nose with her hoof. Before she could continue, Discord's head snapped up, his eyes wide and his ears perked up in surprise. "What was that?"

She sneezed again, and he flinched. With a flash, he was right beside her, feeling at her forehead with his paw. "Are you feeling okay? How's your stomach? I'll get you some water." He snapped his fingers, and a glass of ice water appeared in her hooves. She took a sip, and he scooped her up into his arms.

"Discord, what are you doing?," she asked while he grabbed her plate with his tail.

He huffed. "Well, you're sick, so you need to get some rest! Off to bed with you!" He teleported to their room, and started to lay her on the bed.

"But...I'm not sick. It was just a sneeze."

He froze. "But...you're sure? Absolutely? You're certain that it's not going to get any worse?"

She sighed and kissed his cheek. "I'm sure. Winter's coming soon, and at most, I've just caught a small cold." He frowned and brought her closer to his chest. "I promise I'll be fine. And the furthest I'm going is to the sanctuary."

He stood back up, frowning in thought. He sighed, and the two of them were back in the kitchen. He placed her back down in her seat and her meal back in front of her. As she dug in, she noticed that his eyes stayed completely focused on her. He stared at her up until when she went through the portal, after he insisted she wear a hat, scarf, and boots.

* * *

The sun was still low in the sky when she was halfway through her feeding rounds. After that, she'd check up on the any of the animals who felt unwell, before breaking for lunch. After that, she hoped to check on all the structures, and plan for a new expansion, then wait to see if any creature needed to speak with her.

A soft sneeze escaped from her, jolting her out of her thoughts. She sniffed and wrapped the scarf more tightly around her neck. The air today was not unpleasant, but it was cold and dry, a sign of the approaching winter weather. She'd need to make sure all of her animals were prepared for the harsh months ahead.

She sneezed again as the air tickled her nose, causing the weasels she was feeding to leap and scurry off, only to scurry back and grab their food. A small brown-and-white bunny hopped up to her, tapping her foreleg and pointing behind her.

"Oh, Coco," she sighed, patting the bunny's head. "What is it with you today? I've already fed you and the bunnies—" She turned her head and froze. Discord was perched on a tree branch, watching her. He froze at the same time she did.

She sighed. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention," she said to the small bunny, before turning and marching towards Discord, who was still frozen in place. She stood at the base of the tree and gave him a stern look, waiting for him to come down.

With a loud, long sigh, he slithered backwards down the trunk. He lay on the ground, curled around the tree, giving her a sheepish grin. She raised an eyebrow. His grin faltered. He twisted his neck to hide his face from her, pressed against his side.

He turned again to face her, pouting, his pupils wide and shiny. He clasped his hands together in front of him in a pleading motion.

She sighed and rubbed at the top of his head. He leaned upwards into her touch, a low purring coming from his throat. "Discord, please, go home. I told you I'm fine."

He huffed. "And what's wrong with me wanting to check on my wife?" He nuzzled into her hoof.

"Of course there's nothing wrong with that. But checking up on me does [i]not[/i] meaning spying on me." She leaned forward, kissing him on the forehead. "Sweetie, either go home and relax, or stay and help with the animals. I could find something for you to do..."

He grumbled and frowned, his left eye staring at her while his right drifted towards the closest portal. They stayed like that for a few seconds, Fluttershy cradling his head in her hooves. He closed his eyes and pulled away from her with a sigh.

Before he went through the portal, he said, "If you feel any worse, you'll come home straight away so I can take care of you, right?" She nodded, waving him along. "I'm holding you to that!," he said as he flew into their dimension.

She shook her head and continued feeding the animals.

* * *

Fluttershy wondered if she should have listened to Discord and stayed home.

Over the last hour, her sneezes had become more frequent, and her throat felt more sore. When she finished with the last of the animals, those sneezes turned into small coughs. Those small coughs turned into large, barking ones that came from deep in her chest.

She finished just such as coughing fit before turning back to her current patient, a snake with doubts about eating vegan. She was just assuring him that he would be given plenty of protein supplements and vitamins when she had broken out coughing. The snake slithered over to her, hissing in concern.

"Oh, I'm fine, really," she assured. "Just a small cold."

After witnessing the rare sight of a snake raising an eyebrow, she was lightly pushed by the snake's head. "Oh? Where do you want me to go?"

The snake slithered over to the area where a small family of bears lived. With a hiss, he pointed his tail to a jar of honey that had been placed out for them. "You...want some honey?"

The snake rolled his eyes, then pointed his tail at her. "Oh...you want me to eat some honey?" The snake nodded, and she put a hoof to her chin in thought. "That would help my throat...But I can't take that honey, Mr. Snake. It belongs to the bears."

Mr. Snake sighed, but accepted this and slithered away. "At least try the vegan treats!," she called after him, before being overtaken by another coughing fit. When she was done, she stared longingly at the jar of honey.

_It would be nice...but it's not mine._ Suddenly, she remembered there was some honey that belonged to her—back at home.

She paced back and forth. On the one hoof, she wasn't feeling well, and that honey would definitely help her. On the other hoof, if Discord saw her, he wouldn't let her go back to working in the sanctuary. Maybe she was sick, but surely it wasn't bad enough to keep her bedridden! She glanced over the different animals in the sanctuary, all looking happy, healthy, and fed.

A small white bunny hopped past her. "Vanilla?," she called. "I'm going to head home for a little bit. Can you and the other bunnies keep everything under control here?" The small bunny swiftly nodded, hopping towards a group of her siblings.

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief. Now all she had to do was go through the portal, sneak into the pantry, grab the honey, and sneak back out. With a deep breath, she fluttered over to the portal, poking her head in.

Discord wasn't anywhere in sight. Either he was inside, or he wasn't home. She flew through the portal, swooping towards the door. She opened it slowly, just enough to look through with one eye.

The living room was empty. Well, stuffed with furniture and other things Discord thought looked interesting, but empty of any draconequui. She slowly crept inside and across the carpet, letting the door slowly close behind her.

She was halfway to the door of the hallway when she heard a click. Her head quickly snapped in that direction, and she saw that the Discord-shaped lamp had just turned on. The floating armchair next to it slowly turned in her direction. Discord sat there, hands folded in his lap, a stern expression on his face.

"Mrs. Chaos, how good to see you again," he said. "Now, what can I do for you?" He started folding origami with the blanket in his lap, keeping his eyes focused on her.

Fluttershy gulped, hiding the wince at the soreness it produced in her throat. She cleared her throat and tried to say clearly, "I-I just came to get some honey. For the—" She broke out coughing again.

In an instant, Discord was by her side, throwing the blanket over her, her winter garb flung into a corner with his magic. In the next second, she was lying on her back, wrapped up like a burrito, and he was gently lifting her up. "Discord, put me down," she softly demanded.

"Oh, I fully intend to...on our bed," he responded, floating up through a door and down the hallway.

"Discord, the sanctuary...I—" another coughing fit interrupted her.

He snorted. "You need to rest. How would you feel if some animal caught that cold of yours?" He snapped his tail, and their bedroom door opened.

"Oh," was all she could say. He gently laid her on the bed, tucking her in under the covers and placing a kiss on her forehead. She shuffled, trying to lean forward and kiss him back, whining when she realized she couldn't reach. He gently shushed her.

"Just rest, my dear," he murmured. "If you need anything, I'm right here." He fluffed her pillow a positioned it directly under her head. She smiled at him, yawning softly, as her eyes drifted closed.

* * *

She opened her eyes, shifting uncomfortably. It was too hot. She turned to where Discord had been just a few seconds ago. He was gone. She twisted to look at the other side of the bed. He wasn't there, either.

She began frantically thrashing. _Discord's missing, have to find him!,_ she thought. All her thrashing did was get her more tangled up in her blankets, causing her damp fur to stick up uncomfortably. She wriggled and thrashed, but only seemed to make everything worse.

The door opened. Her head swiveled in that direction, partially wrapped in blanket. Discord stepped through, carrying a tray in his paw. Her thrashing became more frantic, trying to get to him.

His eyes widened and her rushed to her side, leaving the tray floating in midair. "It's okay," he assured, "I'm here." He held the bundle she was in against his chest, stroking her back until she stopped moving.

He started to untangle her from the blankets. "You...you said you'd be right there," she croaked. "Why'd you leave?"

She sighed in relief when the blankets were pulled away from her sweat-covered fur. He answered, "I went to make you soup. You've been asleep for the whole morning, my dear." He nuzzled the top of her head, but quickly pulled away. "Sweet chaos, you're burning up!"

She moaned and tried to lean into his touch. She shuddered when her head came in contact with something cold. Looking up, she saw that Discord had placed a wet towel on top of her head. He placed his hands under her, adjusting her until she was reclining against the pillows.

The tray floated forward, settling on her lap. There was a bowl of tomato soup, a slice of buttered bread, and a cup of tea. It smelled heavenly. She reached forward, but Discord gently grabbed her hoof, setting it back down on the bed. He lifted the spoon towards her mouth.

She greedily ate the soup he fed her, scarfing down the bread and gulping down the honey-filled tea. When she was done, Discord wiped at her mouth with a napkin, and placed a new wet towel on her forehead, gently moving her back into a lying position.

"Promise you'll stay?," she whispered. Her throat was still sore. He smiled, stroking her mane.

"I promise." This brought a smile to her face, and she slowly closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his fingers against her scalp.

* * *

She woke up as Discord gently shook her shoulder, telling her that she had slept through the afternoon. He summoned a tray with his magic, this time with potato soup, crackers, and milk. He fed her the soup and crackers, and helped her hold onto her glass of milk.

Once she was done, he surprised her by lifting her up and carrying her to their bathroom. "What...?"

"You have a high fever, and you're soaked with sweat," he explained. "Surely that can't be comfortable."

She shifted in his arms, realized how her fur seemed to stick to her uncomfortably. She slowly nodded, confirming his suspicions. With a nod of his head, the tub was full of water. He gently laid her into it, and she relaxed, finding the lukewarm temperature comforting.

He worked slowly and gently, taking his time as he slathered shampoo into her coat and mane. She cooed softly as his fingers scratched against her scalp, leaning into his touch. She squeaked as she was doused in water, and Discord became immediately apologetic for scaring her.

The water disappeared from the tub, and he gently picked her up with a large, fluffy green towel. His hands gently rubbed at her body as he carried her back to bed, and she sighed in contentment, leaning her head against his chest.

He placed her back in bed, after fluffing her pillow. Once she was tucked in, he grabbed the towel and pulled it out from underneath her effortlessly. As it floated towards the bathroom, he took a seat in a wooden chair by the bed. "I'll stay here until you fall asleep," he assured, patting her hoof.

"You're...not staying?"

"Well, surely you'd feel better if you didn't have a draconequus draped over you," he said with a chuckle. "I'll only be a room away if you need anything."

"But...I always sleep better when you're next to me," she said, blushing. A blush formed on Discord's face, and he rubbed at the back of his neck. Slowly, he went over to the other side of the bed, and crawled under the sheets. He carefully placed his arm over her, watching her face carefully.

She moved over to him and curled against his chest with a soft sigh. He froze for a minute, before gently wrapping his arms around her. She smiled and nuzzled against his chest with a yawn, her eyes sliding closed.

* * *

She woke up the next morning with a yawn, stretching her forelimbs. She breathed the morning air deeply, her throat feeling much less sore than it was yesterday, and her brain seemed less clouded. She felt at the forehead with a hoof, sighing in relief when it seemed to be a normal temperature.

Discord's arms were still wrapped around her, keeping her close to his chest. She turned and started to snuggle against him, vowing to thank him as soon as he woke up.

A few minutes later, he blinked awake groggily. He was quickly awoken as she started to pepper his face with kisses. He laughed, eventually pushing her away playfully. "Seems somepony's much more energetic today," he said with a chuckle before drawing her into a passionate kiss.

When they broke away, he got out of bed, summoned a doctor's lab coat for himself and started examining her, feeling her forehead and looking at her throat. He took a second to tickle her belly with his tail, prompting her to giggle, before pulling away and magicking up a clipboard.

"You seem to be recovered..." he hummed. "But we'd really prefer to keep you here an extra day. Just to be sure."

She sighed. "But Discord, there's so much I need to do at the sanctuary." His expression remained blank as he rose an eyebrow at her. "...Alright. If I stay for the morning, will you let me work in the afternoon? You can come with me if you want."

He smiled. "I'd say that is a most acceptable arrangement!" He dove back under the bed sheets, quickly wrapping himself around her. She smiled and nuzzled his cheek, wrapping her front hooves around his midsection.

The moment was interrupted as Discord let out a loud, "ACHOO!"

As he sniffed and shooed away the flying book he had accidentally created, he glanced at her, looking worried. Her own eyes widened in surprise. "I...don't suppose you'd go to the sanctuary right now, would you?," he asked. She shook her head and climbed out of bed, coming around to tuck him under the covers, gently pushing his head down towards the pillow.

"Just rest," she said. "I'll be right here if you need me." He huffed and sniffed, but made no effort to get up. And she could see a small smile on his face.


	4. Sick Day 2: Draconequus Boogaloo

Discord sniffed loudly. He hated being sick, rare as it was. He typically only ever felt sick if he was surrounded by pure order, struck with something potent he wasn't expecting, or deliberately giving himself some odd illness to mess with ponies.

Apparently, cuddling next to his sick wife all night was another way to get infected.

Fluttershy was flittering around him, fluffing his pillows and pulling the blankets up to his chin. He sighed, sinking into the softness of the bed, and sniffled loudly again. She passed him a tissue box, asking, "Do you need any more pillows?" She had already grabbed enough that he could make a fort.

He shook his head. "...But some chaos might make me feel better," he admitted. She smiled, nodded, and tipped over the vase on their nightstand. She flew around the room, overturning most of the objects in their room, though leaving some alone. He sighed in contentment, the small acts of chaos making him feel relaxed.

She came back to his side. "I'm going to make some breakfast. Do you promise to stay in bed?" He nodded. "If you need anything, just call, alright?" He nodded again, and she flew out the door.

He blew his nose, and snuggled into an armful of pillows. He would have preferred snuggling into Fluttershy, but he couldn't stand the thought of making her sick again, creating an awful viscous cycle. He sniffed, and grabbed another tissue. His nose was clogged, and his throat was already feeling a little sore. He wasn't sure how Fluttershy was able to work in the sanctuary for so long, if she felt anything like this.

After two more tissues, he wondered when she was coming back. _How long has it been? Ten minutes? Fifteen?_ He glanced at the squiggly-handed clock on the wall, smiling for a second when he saw it was upside down. That smile fell when he read the time. She had only been gone for two minutes.

He rolled over onto his stomach, then onto his back again. _At this rate, boredom will kill me before the illness even gets a chance,_ he thought.

He glanced over at a piece of furniture that had been untouched by Fluttershy's adorable chaos spree. It was a small, pastel green bookshelf, filled with all sorts of books. He had added it so Fluttershy didn't need to go to the library to get one of her favorites if she wanted to read before bed.

A book sounded great right now. Thanks to the influence of his wife and Twilight Sparkle, he had developed a taste in books that didn't involve eating them. But alas, his personal favorites were in the library, and he was confined to his bed. He could easily reach her bookshelf, but Fluttershy's books had never appealed to him.

Realization hit him, and he couldn't help but laugh at himself. Obviously, magic was the solution here. He snapped his fingers, picturing one of his favorite novels.

A book appeared in front of him. He reached out to grab it, but it flapped its paper wings, evading his grasp. He growled and sat up, reaching up again. The book flew away again, its pages contorting into thin appendages it used to scuttle across the ceiling. Annoyed, he threw a pillow at it, hoping to dislodge it. The pillow struck true, but the book creature held on.

Its cover turned to face him, thin slits narrowing. The bottom part of the book started to detach, and he watched as the paper began to fold into numerous pointy fangs. He gulped, sliding back until his back was against the headboard.

The door creaked open, and in walked Fluttershy, carrying a tray on her back, smiling softly at him. Her brows furrowed when she saw his expression, and her head lifted to follow his gaze. She saw the book monster, which was shifting its focus (and teeth) between its attacker and this new creature. It scuttled into a corner, gnashing its teeth at both of them.

"Oh, there's no need for that," Fluttershy said softly, setting her tray at the foot of the bed. She carefully flew over to the creature, hoofs outstretched in peace. Discord watched carefully, ready to lunge forward and shield her. The book creature gnashed its teeth, but Fluttershy shushed it.

"It's okay," she whispered. "No creature's going to hurt you." The book slowly closed its mouth, the thin slits above it widening as she came closer. As she reached out, it dislodged itself from the ceiling and flew into her hooves.

Discord watched, mesmerized, as she stroked the book's spine. Its pages ruffled, and it snuggled into her chest. Carefully, she flew over to the window, opened it, and released the book from her hold. It grabbed onto her forehooves, clinging on, but she gave it a gentle nudge with her muzzle. Slowly, it let go, and flew out the window with paper wings.

She closed the window and turned to Discord. "What was that?," she asked as she picked the tray back up and brought it to him.

"It was supposed to be a book," he said with a cough. "But I think my magic got a little out of hand with making it." He slid down the headboard, relaxing against the pillows.

Fluttershy set the tray on his lap. There was a bowl of yogurt, a mixture of different flavors, a slice of toast covered with butter and cinnamon, and a tall glass of chocolate milk. He smiled and grabbed the bowl, greedily eating the chaotic concoction. She simply sighed and picked up a napkin, cleaning whatever he spilled.

"Why were you using your magic?," she asked as he dropped the bowl and began to munch on the toast.

"Well, I was bored. And I couldn't leave the bed, so I figured magicking up a book would be the perfect solution," He said between mouthfuls. He grabbed the bowl again and his tongue slithered out, slurping up the last of the dairy product.

He gulped down the chocolate milk, and she dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. "I don't suppose I could convince you to go to sleep?" He shook his head. She sighed and picked up the tray. "I'll be back in just a minute. Please just try to rest...and no magic, please." With that, she walked out the door.

He snorted, his head falling back onto his pillow. Like he could sleep. He was too restless to close his eyes, but something seemed to be draining at his energy. It wasn't enough to make him sleepy, but it did make him tired, and a bit irritated. He rolled over onto his side, then rolled over again to stare at the clock.

He watched the minutes hand tick slowly by, resisting the urge to make something to entertain himself. His ear perked up when he heard the door open, and his head quickly shot off the pillow. Fluttershy had entered, holding a book in her hoof.

She pulled the small, wooden chair he had made last night to his side. "I thought, maybe...I could read to you?," she said quietly.

He rose an eyebrow, glancing at the title of the book she was holding. The same novel he had tried to make. "Are you sure? You might not like this story. It's quite chaotic, and nothing like the books you read."

She smiled. "I'm sure. Besides, I want you to feel comfortable, and that means you shouldn't be bored."

She opened to the first page. "In a distant and second-hand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part..."

* * *

He slowly blinked awake, glancing around the room. His throat felt sore and itchy, his nose was running, and he felt a pressure in his chest. He breathed heavily with a wheeze, looking around for Fluttershy. She was missing, but the book was sitting on the chair, bookmarked.

A glance at the clock told him it was a little after noon. He was surprised. He'd apparently been asleep awhile, if he'd drifted off towards the beginning of the book.

The door opened, and Fluttershy came in with another tray. She'd made him tomato soup this time, with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side, and a tall glass of ice water. This time, she spoon fed him, which he was grateful for. His claw kept shaking when he was trying to eat his sandwich, and she had to help him hold onto his glass so he didn't spill water all over himself.

She flew away with the tray, returning quickly. As she started to pick up the book again, he stopped her. "It's alright. I'm not quite in the mood for that story anymore," he said raspily. _Don't really feel like laughing._ She put the book down on their nightstand.

"Are you feeling any better?," she asked.

He shook his head. "Worse, actually. Especially my chest." She looked at him questioningly. "There's some kind of pressure."

She gently placed a hoof on his chest. He winced, a small cough escaping him. "I think some rest should be able to clear that up." He groaned, his head falling back on the pillow.

"But it huuuuuurts," he moaned. "My throat, too. Why can't I just snap it away?"

She rubbed at his back. "Sweetie, you know what happened when you tried to make a book. Do you know what could happen if you tried to use magic on yourself?" He huffed. "I just don't want you to hurt yourself."

He crossed his arms, sniffling. She sighed and rubbed at his side. "I think I know something that might make you feel better," she said. "Can you roll over onto your stomach?"

He grunted and shifted. She slowly flew over him, landing on his back. She slowly rubbed her hooves on his back, somehow managing to press her hooves deeply into all of his sore muscles. He sighed, his arms dangling limply at his sides. He breathed deeply, feeling some of the pressure leave his chest as his muscles relaxed.

If he was using his magic, he would probably have melted into a puddle by now. Instead, all he could do was let out another sigh and let his eyes drift closed as her hooves dug in deeper into his chest, lightly massaging the rest of his back.

* * *

He blinked awake again, yawning as he rolled onto his back. He took in a deep breath, realizing the pressure in his chest had lessened. He felt a soft hoof at his side, and turned to see Fluttershy, sitting in her chair. "How are you feeling?," she asked.

"Not great...but much better than before," he said with a sniffle, leaning into her touch. She smiled and felt at his forehead.

"No fever," she said. "That's good." She glanced towards the clock on the wall. "Oh my, its past dinnertime! You'll be fine if I leave you for a few minutes, won't you?" He nodded, and she handed him the book on the nightstand before leaving the room.

He laid his head back on the pillow and flipped through the book. He glanced at the clock every few seconds, his tail swishing impatiently at how _slow_ the minute hand was moving. The small coughs that came from his throat weren't improving his mood, either. He flipped his book upside-down and settled down, finding it easier to read.

Soon, she came back and placed the tray in front of him. She fed him the vegetable soup, then rubbed at his shoulders while he nibbled on the various cheese slices she brought. He was halfway done with his orange-grapefruit juice when she spoke up.

"Um, I know you haven't had a fever, but...I liked it when you gave me a bath, so...do you want me to..." She tapped her hooves together, a bashful blush on her face.

He blushed, then threw his head back, drinking the juice with one gulp. He pulled back the covers and flew into the bathroom, before hovering above the tub, tapping his fingers together as Fluttershy slowly followed him.

With her face still a bright pink, she turned the knob, letting the tub slowly fill with hot water. She twisted the knob back and forth, switching between hot and cool water. When it was about halfway full, she glanced up at him. "H-How's the temperature?"

He slowly dipped his tail in. The bath was pleasantly warm, and some of the steam made his nose feel much clearer. He sighed and slid in the rest of the way, closing his eyes as he leaned his head on the edge of the tub. He heard Fluttershy fly somewhere and back, and opened one eye to peek at her.

Her hooves were absolutely full of different bottles of liquid. She placed them next to the tub as best she could without dropping them, before grabbing one bottle out of the pile and heading back over to the faucet.

She poured a generous amount of the pink liquid into the water before turning the water on again. Large suds began to form, and Discord flicked his tail to bring some closer to him. He began to mold the bubbles into a chaotic shape, rejoicing in that his nose had cleared enough that he could smell the bubblegum scent of it.

Soon, the tub was filled to the brim with warm water and bubbles. While he molded a pile in front of him into the shape of his old statue form, Fluttershy rubbed at his mane, lathering shampoo in. He sighed and shifted backwards, trying to move closer to her. She squeaked. "D-Discord, you poked me with your horns."

"Oh! Sorry," he said, shifting back. She continued rubbing at his mane, and he closed his eyes contentedly.

As she worked from his head down his body, she switched between different bottles of shampoo. He had to admit, she was much better at this than he was. She was gentle with him, never doing anything surprising or sudden, making sure he knew exactly what she was doing.

Eventually, she pulled away. "Alright, time for bed." He whined, sinking into the warm water, hiding in the bubbles. "Sweetie, I know the bath is nice...and I'm sure it helps you feel better...but a good night's sleep will make you feel even better. Besides, that water's going to be cold soon."

He sighed and slithered out of the tub, standing on all fours and shaking himself dry like a dog. Fortunately, Fluttershy already had a towel on hand, and managed to shield herself from the aqueous onslaught. She giggled and lunged at him, wrapping the large towel around him and furiously rubbing him dry.

He laughed and playfully thrashed, trying to get away. She giggled again and rubbed at his head—a little roughly, but still in a playful, gentle manner. Soon, he stopped struggling, laughing as he took the towel and dried himself off. He floated back into their bedroom and flopped down onto his pile of pillows, waiting for Fluttershy to follow him.

He raised an eyebrow when she flew past the bed, towards the door. "Where are you going?" She smiled.

"Just getting something from the kitchen," she said before flying out the door. He smiled and snuggled into his ramshack pillow throne_. A before-bed snack, right after dinner? Not usual, but when have I ever cared about that_? He licked his lips, wondering what treat she might bring them. _An apple or an orange? Perhaps a cookie or a candy bar? Maybe even a bowl of ice cream?_

She came back inside, holding three containers. He sat up, but froze when he got a closer look at the contents. _That's not food..._

"Actually, Flutters, I feel fine," he said with a laugh. "I don't need to take any—" He coughed, but continued, "M-Medicine."

She frowned. "Discord, you've been saying how awful you feel all day. And you slept for hours, when you almost never take a nap for more than thirty minutes, and I have to drag you to bed sometimes." Her eyes widened, almost becoming 'The Stare'. "You're taking this medicine, buster, no ifs, ands, or buts."

He gulped, biting his tongue before it decided to get him in trouble. She opened the first bottle and poured a thick red liquid out onto a spoon. "Open wide," she said. His jaw popped open, unhinging almost completely. "Maybe not that much," she said. He reached up and popped his jaw back into place before opening his mouth normally.

She stuck the spoon in his mouth. He dutifully swallowed the syrup, though his nose wrinkled and the overly-sweet, terribly-fake cherry flavor. When she set the spoon aside, he could help but stick his tongue out in distaste. Without even looking, she handed him a glass of water.

He chugged it down, but groaned when she saw he had opened the second bottle. "Do I have to take _all_ of those?," he groaned. She sighed.

"You don't have to eat these ones, Discord. They're topical medicines." Seeing his blank expression, she continued, "They go on certain places on the body. Can you lift your head, please?"

He did so, and shivered as she rubbed some cold goop on his throat. "This is suppose to help your throat. Head down, please." She wiped her hoof on a cloth and opened the next vial, dabbing some of the liquid on his nose. He sniffed, biting his lip to contain a sneeze. "And this is suppose to help clear your nose."

She set down the vial. "I'll put these away in the morning," she said, before walking towards her side of the bed. Discord's tail slid forward and stopped her. She turned to him, and he twiddled his fingers.

"How do I say this...I'm sorry," he mumbled, hanging his head. "I'm sorry for how I've behaved today. I just...really hate being sick, and not able to use my magic. I truly appreciate all you've done for me today, trying to make me feel better." He glanced away. "I'm sorry I haven't really shown that in my...behavior."

His ears lifted when something soft pressed against his cheek. He turned his head slightly, glancing out of the corner of his eye. Fluttershy pulled away, stroking his mane with a hoof. "Discord," she sighed. "I know you're frustrated because you're sick. And you've listened to me, even if you acted stubborn about it."

"Let's just go to sleep, and hope you feel better in the morning," she finished, pushing his tail away. As she climbed under the sheets, he pushed a pillow against her chest, holding her back.

"Are you sure this is wise?," he asked. "I mean, I got sick sleeping by your side. What if you catch the same illness again?"

She pouted. "But...like I said, I sleep better next to you."

He sighed. "I know. And I sleep better with you next to me, too. But I'd sleep even better if I knew you were safe and healthy." He laid back. "Either of us could take a guest room. I think we'll survive one night apart."

She tugged at one of the pillows he was lying on. "But, what if we made..."

"Fluttershy. Your side of the bed is still soaked with sweat. And if we switched, mine is covered in germs. The Great Wall of Pillows won't change that." He sighed. "Guess we'll clean the sheets tomorrow. But, please...go to a guest room."

She nodded and headed towards the door. She paused at the doorway, looking over her shoulder. "Good night, Discord. I love you." She blew him a kiss.

He snatched the kiss out of the air before blowing her two of his own. She giggled, smiling softly as she turned out the lights and closed the door behind her. He sighed and snuggled into his pillow pile. He didn't like being a voice of reason, but if it keep Fluttershy safe...

He nodded off, dreaming of his kind, caring Fluttershy.


	5. In Trouble

"Borrrred," Discord hissed under his breath. Fluttershy shushed him, placing her hoof on his lion arm.

Today was the meeting between the leaders of various kingdoms. Dragon Lord Ember, Changeling King Thorax, Yak Prince Rutherford, and Queen Novo of the seaponies and hippogrifs were all in attendance. The Griffons had sent multiple dignitaries, as no leader had been formally chosen yet. And of course, the Protectors of Equestria hosted the meeting, with their significant others joining.

Discord hated the meeting. He had a love-hate relationship with politics: they could cause such chaos, but most of the time, they were dull and boring. The Council of Friendship meetings were the rare, fun exception. Diplomatic meetings like this one were very much on the boring side of things.

He fidgeted, wondering if he could mess with the yak prince's fur without any creature noticing. Fluttershy, the one good thing at this meeting, gave his arm a gentle pat.

He tuned back into Princess Twilight's chattering. She was going on about trade agreements, and helping the Abyssinians recover from the Storm King' s attack a few years ago, and blah, blah, blah...a tapping at the nearby window interrupted her. The leaders all turned their heads.

One of the royal swans was flying there, looking annoyed. "Oh dear," said Fluttershy. "I'll see what's wrong. Continue without me." She gave Discord a kiss on the cheek before trotting down the hall, looking for a window that could open.

He inhaled when the door closed behind her. _Okay, the only good thing about this meeting is gone_, he thought. _But she trusts me to be on my best behavior. Just daydream until she comes back_...

Twilight had continued talking, and it seemed she was finally wrapping up. "...But before we can do any of that, there's some paperwork we need to fill out!" A large stack of papers appeared in a flash of magenta magic.

Rainbow, Pinkie, and Cheese groaned. Ember and several griffons were clearly biting back groans of their own. Discord bit down on his tongue, clamping his hands together. [i]Just a few more minutes...[/i]

Twilight gave a large stack to each group of dignitaries, keeping one for herself. "After this, we'll need to work on the math of financially supporting their kingdom!," she chirped.

"AUUUGH!" Every creature's head turned towards him. He had swiftly stood up, knocking his chair. "I can't _take it_ any more!"

The table was suddenly upside down, the papers hovering in the air like a cloud. He made finger guns and started firing at the papers, shouting, "Bang!" with each shot. The papers reacted differently, from catching on fire to turning into a multicolored liquid.

"My papers!," cried Twilight, reaching out with magic to save her work. She was ignored, and a pink cloud started to form at the ceiling of the room. The Protectors gasped, while the dignitaries simply rose their eyebrows. Rarity formed a magic shield above herself. Spike rushed over to Ember, quickly telling her to shield herself with a wing. Rainbow held a protective wing over Applejack, who held her hat above Rainbow. Pinkie and Cheese started bouncing around the room, urging the rain to come.

With a loud crack, chocolate rain poured down. Discord, Pinkie, and Cheese laughed, opening their arms invitingly and drinking in the sweet liquid. The rest of the members groaned and shrieked as the downpour soaked them. Those who had shielded themselves shuddered and tried to avoid the growing puddles.

Discord chuckled, closing his eyes. If only every meeting could be like this...

"DISCORD!"

His eyes snapped open, and his head snapped towards the door. The rain suddenly stopped, the cloud disappearing with a soft puff of air. He grinned sheepishly at his wife, who was glaring at him from the doorway.

"I...was bored?," he said with a shrug and chuckle.

* * *

Fluttershy stormed into their living room, pacing back and forth as Discord floated in behind her. "It...it wasn't that bad..." he muttered. Her head snapped towards him.

"Not that bad!? Discord, you ruined Twilight's paperwork, and you soaked the leaders of multiple kingdoms in chocolate milk! In what world is that _not bad?"_

He hung his head. She sighed. "I just...I only left for a minute, and you started causing trouble." She rubbed at her forehead, walking towards the kitchen. He followed a good distance behind her, head still hung low.

She quickly fixed her own dinner, which she ate in silence. He summoned up a large chocolate bar and ate it without even bothering to unwrap it. Once she was done, she stood up and glanced over at him.

Her eyes softened, and his ears lifted slightly, a small smile forming up his face. She narrowed her eyes, and his ears and smile fell.

"You know I love you, sweetie," she said softly, "But I'm also angry with you right now." He slowly reached out towards her mane, but she turned away. "I...need some time to cool down. I'm going to turn in early tonight."

She left the kitchen. He followed, thinking she was heading towards their bedroom. Instead, she stopped partway down the hall and opened the door that connected to her old cottage. She glanced back at him and sighed, but walked through the door.

He stood there quietly for a few seconds. The idea of following her crossed his mind, as did sneaking in later. He quickly discarded those ideas, knowing it would only make her angrier. He floated down towards their bedroom, figuring there was no reason for him to not turn in early, too.

* * *

Discord tossed and turned, flinging bedsheets every which way. He sat up and grabbed the squiggly-handed clock that laid on his nightstand. It was only 8 at night. He groaned and fell back onto his pillows, throwing the clock at the wall.

He usually wasn't this restless. Back before knowing Fluttershy, he didn't have any form of sleep schedule, choosing to nap or hibernate whenever he felt tired, and to play whenever he wasn't. But after a few times when he woke up his dear friend with his excited late-night visits, he adjusted into a sleep schedule that matched her own.

Some nights he was restless, but they were few and far between. And he hadn't experienced a completely sleepless night since he had married Fluttershy. Having her next to him calmed him in even his most wound-up states. Her soft breathing was like a lullaby to him, and feeling her soft fur and mane soothed him in a way he'd never known before.

He grunted and stood up, pacing on the bed. Before, he'd go cause some chaos until he'd used enough magic to tire himself out, but that was what got him in this situation in the first place. He considered the sleeping pills Fluttershy kept for her animals, but realized she wouldn't be happy if he used up her supplies. That, and last time he tried that, she had lectured him on proper use of medicine and made him promise to never take any medicine again before talking with her about it.

He laid down, trying to assure himself that it was just one night. A sudden thought make him sit back up. What if it wouldn't be one night? What if she was still angry at him tomorrow?

It was unlikely, but...she was so furious. And what if she didn't come back so they could make breakfast together? What if he didn't see her at lunch? The thoughts were making his head spin. He quickly slapped himself, then teleported to his thinking tree.

"Okay," he muttered. "If I want Fluttershy to stop being mad...well, I could wait, but I haven't seen her get this mad in years. If I fixed the problem that made her angry, maybe she'd forgive me?" With a snap of his fingers, a notepad appeared in his claw.

"I could time travel to before the meeting and warn my past self to not cause trouble," he wrote down. He bit the end of his pencil, then quickly scribbled that out. "Bad idea. I never listen to myself, and Fluttershy might be mad if I caused some kind of paradox."

"So I need to fix the problem I have right now," he mused.

He nibbled at the end of his pencil again, quickly jotting things down every minute or so. Finally, he stuck his pencil behind his ear and held the notepad a good distance away from him, squinting. "Hopefully this will work," he mused, snapping his claws and disappearing in a flash of light.

* * *

The sun was starting to rise. Discord got to his feet and checked his reflection in a hand mirror. His bags didn't look too obvious. He glanced towards the upper window of Fluttershy's cottage, where he knew her bedroom was. She almost always woke up around the crack of dawn, so all he needed to do was wait a few more minutes.

Shadows began to shift in the windowpane. A second later, a light flicked on, and he could just see a hint of a pegasus's shadow. With a smile, he snapped his fingers, summoning a boombox. He twisted the volume dial as far as it could go, holding the box above his head, then pressed the play button,.

Music blared, scaring the nearby birds out of their trees. He heard rapid movement from inside, and a second later, the window was thrown open. He grinned as Fluttershy poked her head out, and begin to sing , "_And I~! Will always love you~!_"

He winced and dropped his boombox when something struck him in the back of the head. His head turned around completely, and he saw a family of squirrels up in the branches of a nearby tree, chattering angrily and shaking their paws at him. One threw an acorn at him, which he flicked back. "No respect for the beauty of music," he scoffed, his head snapping back into its normal orientation.

Fluttershy opened the window further, flying out at landing next to him. "Discord, what are you doing?"

He grinned as he picked the boombox back up. "I came to serenade you sweetly before I apologized for my actions."

She blinked, looking away for a second. She turned back to him, narrowing her eyes, her lips pressed tightly into a stern expression. "Sweetie, you know I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

He laughed, resisting the urge to pat her head. If she was still mad, that wouldn't end well. "My dear, you think I haven't learned that lesson? Take a look." With a snap of his fingers, several nearby clouds zipped over to his side. They began to churn, then crystal-clear images appeared inside each of them.

In each cloud was a different scene. Thorax and Ember seemed to just be waking up in their respective rooms. Prince Rutherford was inside a hut of some sort, a frown on his face. A group of griffons were sitting around a table, loudly complaining about various things. Queen Novo was sitting on her throne in the underwater palace, looking unhappy. Each of their friends were also in a cloud, all of them asleep in bed. Each of them still had some stains of chocolate in their fur, feathers, or scales.

A knock came from outside each cloud frame. Each creature lifted their head, the sleeping ones blinking awake. All of them approached whatever door the knocking had come from and opened it. Outside each door was a small, hand-woven gift basket, with a card attached with a piece of rainbow-colored twine. The creatures all grabbed the basket and brought it inside, confused expressions on their faces.

They slowly began to unpack their baskets. Thorax received soap bars. Ember and Spike had deluxe scale polish. The griffons had received a feather-cleaning solution. Queen Novo's contained the polish and the feather solution. Each of their friends got shampoo, and Prince Rutherford got an extra-large bottle.

Ember was the first to rip the card off of the twine and read it. Others followed suit, one by one. Discord swirled his finger in the air, and the clouds' perspective shifted so Fluttershy was able to read over their shoulders.

_Dear Dragon Lord Ember,_

_I'm sorry that you had to experience my outburst of boredom at the meeting of neighboring kingdoms. It was a grievous mistake on my part, and I do hope my actions had not sullied your opinions of Equestria. I hope that you find the contents of this basket useful._

_Great Apologizes,_

_Discord, Spirit of Chaos, Prince of Kindness_

The other letters to the leaders were similar. In the letters to their friends, he was much less formal, apologizing for "losing it", for ruining Rarity's mane, Applejack's hat, and setting Twilight's papers on fire.

They watched as one of the griffons scoffed. "His way of apologizing is a dinky gift basket? Why, that's almost more offensive than being doused in chocolate milk."

Another picked up the basket. "Eh. Maybe there's at least something good in here." He tipped over the basket, spilling the bottles of feather cleaner onto the table. He frowned at shook it...and gold coins began pouring out.

All of the griffon's eyes widened as bits kept pouring out. The flow only stopped when the top of the pile reached the opening of the basket. One of the older griffons lifted up a bit, holding it up to his eye, and then biting it with his beak. "It's real," he whispered.

The group was silent for a second. Then they began to cheer, all of them grabbing bits and throwing them into their pockets or bags. Their image slowly faded away, and the cloud drifted away in the wind. The others were already rifling through their own baskets.

Ember's was full of various gems. By the look on her face, they were of high quality. Spike also had gems, as well as various comic books and colorful dice. Thorax had crayons, paint, and papers, which he looked excited about. Rutherford pulled out a basket, which held another basket, which had another basket...and he was smashing them rapidly, which was probably a good sign. Queen Novo only pulled out two pieces of paper—a gift certificate to Ponyville spa, and a note that read "I.O.U one personalized gift, courtesy of Chaos, Inc."

Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich poured out a pile of chocolates. Discord's ear twitched as he heard their cheers —not just from the cloud, but from town. Rarity pulled out several bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and several rolls of glittering silk. Applejack pulled out an animated memory book of all of Rainbow Dash's Wonderbolt shows, while Rainbow pulled out a bottle of Sweet Apple Acres cider he had been holding onto. Twilight used her magic to bring whatever was in her basket out.

It was piles of papers—copies of the ones he had destroyed. A lightbulb appeared over his head, and he quickly snapped his fingers. About a dozen books spilled out of the basket, though they somehow avoided the giant stack of papers.

The image in each cloud faded away, and they all drifted off in different directions. "I gave apologies to every creature I actually...affected!," he said smugly. He froze, then asked cautiously, "You're...not still mad, are you? Did I do good?"

She suddenly flew at him, wrapping her forehooves around his neck. "You did _wonderfully,"_ she whispered in his ear. She nuzzled his cheek, an action he quickly returned. "And of course I'm not angry. You fixed your mistake, and you already know..."

She pulled away and held his cheeks in between her hooves. "I just can't stay mad at that cute face of yours," she cooed.

He turned completely red and turned away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fluttershy turn a bright shade of pink and cover her mouth, also looking away. "Besides, I...missed you last night," she quietly admitted, her cheeks turning an even brighter pink.

He snaked his arms around her, giving her a small kiss on the cheek. "I missed you too," he whispered. "Why don't we just spend a quiet day at home?" She nodded, and with a snap of his fingers, they appeared in their bedroom in Chaosville. He gently laid her down on the bed before coiling his body around hers, closing his eyes and smiling peacefully.


	6. Odd Jealousy

Discord yawned and sat up, popping the kinks out of his back. He and Fluttershy had hosted a party last night with their friends, which had gone on long through the night. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he curled closer to the snoozing Fluttershy next to him.

Though he tried to relax, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't cleaned the living room yet. He tried to pull away from Fluttershy, but couldn't muster up the energy to do so. With a sigh, he snapped his fingers, and three other Discords popped into existence beside the bed.

"Go clean up the living room, please," he told them, waving them away with a paw before turning away and curling closer to Fluttershy. He heard the door open and close as the three clones left. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and buried his muzzle into his wife's mane, letting sleep take over him again.

* * *

He woke up again as Fluttershy stirred awake. He slowly pulled away from her, giving her a small kiss on the cheek. She quickly leaned forward to kiss him on the lips, an action he happily returned.

He scooped her up into his arms and floated into the hallway, heading towards the kitchen.

* * *

Discord's first clone sighed as he lazily swept crumbs on the floor. The first moments of his individual sapience, and he was cleaning up popcorn. And as soon as he was done, he'd just go back to being one part of a whole Discord.

He glanced at the other two clones. One was throwing scattered objects that didn't belong into some swirling purple portal, while the other had summoned up a maid outfit and was dusting the furniture. Both looked a bit tired, as they _had_ just been forced out of bed and into work.

His ears perked up when he heard the soft sound of wingbeats. He watched as the original Discord flew in, holding Fluttershy in his arms. She looked around the room, raising an eyebrow at the multiple Discords.

"I decided to get a head start on the cleaning," the original explained, seeing her confusion. "Nice work, guys!"

The three clones grumbled. The first one huffed and harshly swept at the floor. The sound of wingbeats, much softer this time, made him lift his head again. Fluttershy flew towards him, placing a hoof on his paw. "Thank you very much," she said sweetly, a small smile on her face.

He gulped and blushed. "You're...welcome," he stammered. She smiled and flew other to the others, who merely grunted at her thanks, before flying back over to the original, who offered her his arm as he led her to the kitchen. The first clone propped up his broomstick and leaned against it, watching Fluttershy until she was out of sight.

He sighed longingly and swept at the ceiling. The other clones gave him strange looks, but he ignored them, too busy with his own thoughts. _Perhaps I could go mop in the kitchen_, He mused_, Or see if Fluttershy needs any chores done...maybe I could do the dishes..._

His ears perked up when he heard the two coming back into the living room. He kept sweeping at the ceiling, though his eyes were now focused on Fluttershy. "Have a lovely day!" the original chirped, tearing a blue portal open with his hands. "I'll see you later, dearest," he cooed, nuzzling the top of her head.

The clone ground his teeth. _Why can't I be that Discord_?. Fluttershy giggled, and gently pushed his muzzle away. "Discord, aren't you supposed to be visiting Celestia? I know the two of you have fun on your visits." Discord mumbled something in her ear—probably something about how he'd rather be with her, or that he loved her—to which she blushed and pushed him away again. "I-I'll see you later! Have a nice day!"

She flew through the portal, which disappeared behind her. The original glanced at the three clones. "You guys won't burn down the house again if I leave you here, right?" They all mumbled half-heartedly, to which the original shrugged. "Eh, good enough. Merge into one entity with you later!" He snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.

The clone who was throwing stuff into the portal was now fighting the woven rug in a boxing ring, dust flying with every punch. "Show-off," he grumbled. "Teleporting and portaling everywhere, and all we can do is some gags."

The maid clone, vacuuming the wall, laughed in a high-pitched voice. "Oh, but who can blame him? So powerful, so stunning!" The other clone threw the abandoned feather duster at his head.

The first clone dropped his broom. "I'm...going to go mop up the kitchen. Who knows how much of a mess the original made in there," he said. The others waved, smiling, before turning back to each other and bickering. He quickly shot into the kitchen, throwing open cupboards.

* * *

He took a deep breath before going through the portal. He switched the picnic basket he held from arm to arm. _Maybe it's too early_, he thought as he strolled through the sanctuary. _But if I wait too long, the original will come back._

"Discord?" He jumped, quickly turning around in midair. Fluttershy was holding a sloth in her hooves, a look of concern in her eyes. "Is everything alright? What happened to visiting Celestia?"

He smiled. "She and Lulu were busy today. Perhaps I can swing by tomorrow." He held out the picnic basket. "But it seemed a shame to stay inside on such a lovely day. So why shouldn't I spend some time with my lovely wife?"

She smiled sweetly, and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. "Thank you, Discord. But...I need to find this little lady a place to rest." She fluttered her wings, heading for a small grove of trees. "I'll be back in a second."

He watched her go, a sigh escaping his lips. He quickly closed his eyes and shook his head, placing the basket on the ground and bringing out the pink and blue blanket he had stored inside.

* * *

"Weren't there three of us?," the second clone asked.

The two of them had finished cleaning, and so discarded whatever crazy outfits or tools they had conjured. They had taken a seat on the ceiling table and started playing a card game. They hadn't figured out which one yet, but that didn't stop them from tossing cards at each other and slapping them down on the table.

The other clone jabbed a thumb towards the door. "Yeah, he's cleaning the kitchen."

"Let's go get him. I wanna play Hucklebuck. Can't do that with two players," the second said, throwing his cards down on the table and floating off. The other groaned and followed him.

They opened the kitchen doors and peered inside. Nopony was inside. They floated about, checking the ceiling, walls, and under the floor tiles, but there was no sign of the first clone anywhere.

"Is that normally open?," the third clone asked, pointing at the ajar window. The second clone shook his head, and they peered closer to inspect it. There was a scattering of crumbs on the windowsill and the ground below it, leading to the edge of the floating island...where a shimmering blue portal was.

"You don't think he went to Equestria Prime, do you?," the second asked. The third shrugged.

"Who knows? But it's the only lead we have." He floated out of the window, zipping towards the portal. The other followed him, grumbling about just wanting a simple card game.

As soon as they entered the sanctuary, the sound of soft laughter caught their attention. Close by, Fluttershy and the first Discord clone were laying on a blanket, a basket placed off to the side. The two were holding sandwiches, and he seemed to be telling her a story that made her burst into a fit of giggles.

The clone shifted closer to her, the tip of his wing brushing against her own. While he smiled softly at her, his eyes flicked up for just a second...and he froze, seeing the other clones watching the two of them intently.

Fluttershy looked at him, concerned, then followed his gaze to the two of them. "Discord...is something wrong? Why are there three of you?," she asked softly.

The second clone cleared his throat. "Nothing's wrong. We're just...looking for a third player for our card game." The third clone nodded.

The first clone draped his arm over Fluttershy. "Sorry...I'm busy." He leaned over and nuzzled the top of her head. The other two glared at him while she giggled.

"Oh, you can play cards if you want. I don't mind," she assured him, nuzzling his cheek.

"But I want to stay with you!" he whined, leaning against her. The other two watched as she sighed with a small smile, snuggling against him as he came closer. The second clone grabbed onto his chest, feeling his heart race as her teal eyes gazed into the first clone's.

The third clone suddenly shot past him, shoving himself between Fluttershy and the first clone. The pair blinked in shock as the newcomer wrapped his arms around her, burying his muzzle into her mane.

The first clone grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, I was here first! Back off!"

The third simply shrugged him off. "You've had her for long enough. I want to cuddle her, too!" He started to coil himself around Fluttershy, who looked confused.

The first growled and snapped his fingers, summoning a lasso around the third clone. With a swift yank, he was pulled away from Fluttershy and off of the picnic blanket. He sighed and approached her, but a giant red spring appeared underneath him, sending him flying away.

The third clone laughed and flew back towards the picnic blanket. The first leapt up and grabbed him around the torso, dragging him back towards the ground. The two wrestled about, creating a large dust cloud, magic sent flying in all directions as they cast and dodged spells.

"Discord? What's going on? I don't understand!" said Fluttershy, hovering near the fight.

One clone poked his head out, grinning. "Don't worry, sweetie. I'll take care of this fellow, and we can just relax together..." The other clone cried angrily, and his head was pulled back in.

She hovered around the fight, watching the scene with clear worry. The second clone, who had been watching from a theater chair, stood up and calmly approached her from behind. She was so busy fretting over the other two that she didn't notice until he was right behind her.

He glanced between her and the two fighting clones. They were so busy that they hadn't noticed his approach...which was exactly what he was hoping for.

He grabbed Fluttershy, threw her over his shoulder, and took off running towards a thick grove of trees in a corner of the sanctuary. As soon as he was deep in its shade, he pulled a very confused Fluttershy back down into his arms, sat down, and held her against his chest.

"I...don't understand what's going on..." She said quietly. He smiled sweetly and nuzzled the top of her head.

* * *

Discord whistled a jumbled tune as he strolled in through the door. "I'm home, sweetheart!" He flung a suddenly-appearing coat onto the rack on the ceiling. "You wouldn't believe the day I've just had. Celestia saying she's retired...hah!"

Only silence greeted him. "Odd," he mumbled. "It's fairly late in the afternoon. She's usually done in the sanctuary by now."

With a snap of his fingers, he teleported into a battlefield. He blinked and snapped again, picturing the sanctuary. He teleported a few feet away. "What in the world?"

The sanctuary was indistinguishable from a battlefield. The ground was torn to shreds all around him. The air was heavily tinged with magic, and signs of chaos were scattered about. He noticed all of the untouched plant life nearby was being used as a hiding place by Fluttershy's animals.

"Fluttershy!" he cried, immediately shooting into the air, his head turning at impossible angles to peer at every part of the area.

He spotted her several feet away, over a hill. She was in the arms of one of his clones, who was dressed up in a black cape, complete with villainous moustache. He was currently swordfighting with another clone, Fluttershy tucked carefully under his arm.

Suddenly, another clone flew from behind him, snatching Fluttershy right out of his grasp. The others turned and hissed as he flew off, heading towards another hill. The others gave chase.

"ENOUGH!" Discord shouted. His three clones looked up at him with worried expressions, while Fluttershy looked up with a slightly more confused one. "I don't know what's happened here. But it's time for whatever this is to end!"

He snapped his fingers, and his three clones disappeared in flashes of light. He closed his eyes as a wave of memories hit him, barely remembering to summon a pillow beneath Fluttershy.

After a few seconds of quiet floating, and a few snaps to restore everything to normal, he flew down to Fluttershy. "Are you alright, my dear?" He didn't remember being rough, but all of him had definitely gotten carried away.

She slowly nodded. "Discord...what was that about? Is something wrong?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Well...this was probably my fault. Not just that several versions of myself caused you trouble, but...I left the three of them alone, at home. I should have learned last time that was a bad idea."

"But why were they—you—fighting?" she asked, her face slowly turning pink. "I know they wanted to, um, cuddle with me. B-But why did they start fighting about it?"

He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well...we both already know I can be a little...protective." Her face turned a brighter shade of pink, and he sighed, "I guess that...protective jealousy can be directed towards other versions of myself."

She nuzzled his cheek, her face still warm. "Well...I thought it was sweet when you came with a picnic lunch. And I wouldn't have minded cuddling. It was just...all the fighting that made me so confused."

He smirked. "So if I could share, you'd be willing to...?" Her blush went from pink to red, and she nodded.

With a snap of his fingers, he and Fluttershy were back home, in their living room. Three other Discords appeared as Fluttershy lay down on the couch. The original lay beside her and wrapped his arms around her. A clone laid on her side and did the same thing, while one draped himself on top of her, careful of her wings. The last clone fluttered about, looking at every angle, before finally slithering under her until she was laying on his belly.

"I hope this can make up for the trouble I caused you," the original murmured in her ear.

"Yes," she sighed. "This is nice..." She yawned, the heat from four warm, furry bodies causing her eyelids to slowly droop closed.


	7. Foalsitting Folly

"Discord?" Fluttershy called, flying through the halls of their house. "Dinner's ready!" After a few seconds of silence, she called, "I made a bowl of leftovers soup!"

No response. That was worrying. Leftovers soup was one of his favorite dishes, as it was made by throwing random leftover food into a pot and boiling it. She kept flying forward, this time opening doors as she went.

Finally, she found him in his memory museum. He was standing in front of one of his glass-covered items, staring straight forward. "There you are!" she softly exclaimed. "I was starting to get worried!" He made a noncommittal noise in response, not moving an inch. She followed his gaze.

It was his Cutie Mark Crusader uniform. Across the glass flashed images of his adventures with the trio, some of which she recognized from their time travel trip. She slowly, quietly approached him. When she was close enough, she nudged her head under his paw.

He blinked out of the stupor he was in, scratching at her head with a sigh. "Thank you, Flutters," he sighed, running his fingers through her mane. "I don't know what came over me there."

She nuzzled against his hand. "Do you miss the crusaders?" she asked, "Because I could invite the three over to dinner sometime, if you'd like..."

"That might be nice. But that's...not quite what I was thinking about..." he mumbled. She lifted her head away to look up at him. He sighed. "I guess I miss our adventures. Back when they were young, fearless, and determined, ready to go on any chaotic adventure if it sounded fun enough."

"But they're all grown up now. They've got responsibilities, and they don't have that same chaotic spark in them." He sighed. "I think I just miss having young ponies run around with me and get into trouble."

He shook his head and turned to her with a smile. "But dinner with them sometime does sound lovely! I'd enjoy catching up with my fellow crusaders. But for now, I believe I heard you say something about leftovers soup?"

She nodded, and he floated out the door. She followed, deep in thought as she mulled over Discord's words.

* * *

The doorbell to Sugarcube Corner rang. "Hi Fluttershy!" Pinkie cried from behind the counter, waving. "What can I get you?"

"Pinkie, I was just wondering...do you need a foalsitter for Lil Cheese?" she asked.

Pinkie smiled. "At the moment, yes! For some reason, we can almost never get the same sitter twice! Are you and Discord offering?"

Fluttershy scuffed at the ground. "Well...I'm offering. I thought that if you said yes, I'd talk to Discord about it afterwards."

Pinkie grinned. "Do you know what the best way to convince him is?" Before Fluttershy could respond, she reached underneath the counter and held up a small yellow-coated, pink-maned colt. "This utterly cute face!"

The young foal gazed up at her, his bright green eyes widening. "Auntie Shy!" he cheered, reaching out to her with his hooves. Fluttershy could feel her heart melting inside her chest. Pinkie gently placed the colt in her front hooves.

"He likes you already!" she squeed. Lil Cheese giggled and babbled up at her. Pinkie smiled at Fluttershy. "Now that I think about it, Cheese Sandwich and I have some things we want to catch up on. Why don't I fetch you a list for him, and today can be a trial run? I mean, if you're not busy."

Fluttershy shook her head. "I'm not busy today...although this might give Discord a shock..."

"He'll be fine," Pinkie said. "One second! I'll get that list and tell Cheese!" She ran into the kitchen, then back out in the next second. "Okay! He said a trial run sounds like a good idea. Here's Lil Cheese's list." She handed Fluttershy a small scroll.

She leaned down and kissed Lil Cheese's forehead. The foal giggled and squirmed. "Be good for Auntie Shy!" Pinkie said, nuzzling the top of his head. He smiled and nodded, a wide grin on his face.

Fluttershy smiled as Pinkie placed an "On Break" sign on the counter and ran back into the kitchen. She adjusted her grip on the foal and flew out of the door.

* * *

She flew through the shimmering portal and to the front door. With her hooves full, she used her mouth to pull on a small rope off to the side. A large quantity of bells started ringing inside.

Just a second after, the door opened. "Welcome home, Fluttershy!" Discord cheered. "How was your trip...into..." He was staring at Lil Cheese, who was gawking right back at him.

After a few seconds of silence, Discord jumped into the air. "Sweet Celestia, we made a kid!" He began floating back and forth in the air shakily, babbling to himself about fatherhood and pregnancy. Fluttershy sighed and tapped his shoulder with her wing.

"Discord," she said quietly, "This is Lil Cheese. He's Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich's son, and he's a few years old." She gently set him down on the ground, and he began to run around and explore the odd room. "I asked Pinkie if she needed a foalsitter, and she thouggt we could use today as a trial run."

He blinked, then breathed a large sigh of relief, wiping drops of sweat off of his brow. "I...I honestly thought we'd made a kid, somehow."

She sat down on the couch and began to unscroll the list. "Discord, you've seen him before."

"Only a few times! And besides, that kid has an uncanny resemblance to you." He pointed to different parts of the colt. "Yellow coat, pink mane, greenish eyes...need I continue?"

She blinked. "...Huh." Shaking her head, she unrolled the scroll and began to read. "Okay. We have a list of his favorite foods, what times he normally eats, and when bedtime is. Oh, and a note from Pinkie: 'Please bring him back around 8:30'. That's half an hour after his bedtime."

She glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's almost noon. Cheese, what would you like for lunch?"

The colt pursed his lips, his brow furrowing. "Grill cheese!" he declared. She giggled and smiled.

"Alright. Discord, can you keep him out of trouble while I make lunch?" He nodded, and she headed into the kitchen.

After a few minutes of preparation of sizzling bread, she had made six grilled cheese sandwiches. She placed three on one plate, two on another, and one on the smaller plate. She glanced at the list, then added a hoofful of grapes on the plate with one sandwich. She placed them on the table and flew back into the living room.

Discord had created soft, colorful blocks which were now floating around the room. Cheese was currently busy stacking them into a tall tower, and Discord lay on the ground next to him, giving the tower magic nudges here and there to make sure it remained stable.

"Lunch is ready!" she announced. Cheese cheered and rushed towards the door, knocking over his block tower. Discord chuckled and got onto his feet.

As soon as he was in the kitchen, he snapped his fingers. The table shrank to a smaller size and became oval-shaped, and a third chair appeared. Cheese gasped and clapped his front hooves together. Fluttershy grabbed him under his forelegs and lifted him up into the chair. With another snap of Discord's fingers, the seat rose so that he could easily see and reach above the table.

Discord and Fluttershy sat down. Cheese rolled his grapes around on his plate. "Can I get ketchsup, please?" he asked Fluttershy, his green eyes widening. Discord snapped his fingers, and a bottle of ketchup appeared in the colt's hooves. "Thank you!"

He poured the ketchup on his grapes, and began to messily eat them one-by-one. Fluttershy and Discord just ate their sandwiches, unfazed. Discord even snapped up his own grapes with ketchup and began eating them. Fluttershy just sighed and rolled her eyes playfully at him.

In the end, she honestly wasn't sure if more food made it in Cheese's stomach or in his coat. His hooves and mouth were coated in ketchup and battered with bread crumbs. "Did you get enough to eat?" she asked. He nodded cheerfully in response.

She flew over to the sink and grabbed a washcloth, soaking it in warm water. Lil Cheese looked apprehensive as she came back over. She carefully wiped at his hooves, but he began to fuss when she wiped his mouth. "Almost done," she told him. She withdrew, though he gave her a betrayed look, crossing his forelegs with a huff.

"Lil Cheese, would you like to play a game?" Discord asked. "If you act upset like this, you won't be able to have any fun..."

Lil Cheese's pout shrank, and he grinned. "Can we play Hide 'n Seek?"

Discord grinned. "Of course! Oh, but first..." He snapped his fingers, and Fluttershy felt the air shift in the way it did when he rearranged the house. He wrapped an arm around Fluttershy and whispered in her ear, "The house is foal-proofed now. Any dangerous rooms are on the opposite side of the dimension."

"Thank you," she whispered back. Out loud she said, "Okay, Cheese! Do you want to hide or seek?"

"Hide!" he chirped happily. Discord snapped his fingers and made a gong appear.

"How's this? I'll count to one hundred, and hit this when I'm done. Then I'll try to find you without magic. Let's say there's a time limit of...ten minutes for this round?" Lil Cheese nodded enthusiastically. "Alright then..."

He closed his eyes and began to count out loud. Lil Cheese scampered out of the room, while Fluttershy followed close behind. She watched as he ran down a hall and darted into the fruits room before diving into a barrel of apples. She opened the door across from his hiding place, making sure to close it behind her.

The statue collection. The carpet was real green grass, and statues of all kinds—marble, onyx even glass—were scattered through the room. She gulped and looked for one large enough to hide behind. The gong echoed through the house. Quickly, she jumped behind a random stone statue, crouching low to the ground.

He heard Discord's wing beats. "Hmm. Now if I were a young kid or a lovely pegasus, where would I hide?" Fluttershy blushed, crouching even lower. She held her breath as the door opened.

She started to curl in on herself as his footsteps came closer and closer. All of a sudden, there was silence. With a silent sigh, she planted her hooves on the ground and flipped herself onto her back.

Discord had been right behind her. Her sudden movement made him yelp in surprise, jumping into the air. With a pout, he asked, "How did you know I was there?"

She shook her head. "After how many times you've surprised me like that, you think I wouldn't see it coming?"

"Hmm. I guess this means I'll have to find new ways to surprise you," he purred, kissing her neck. In her ear, he whispered, "I know Lil Cheese is in the other room. He left the door open."

"So you're...stalling?" she asked.

He nodded. "I mean, he's a kid! If hiding makes him feel good, I can give him a bit of leeway...for a few rounds, at least. Until he knows the house better." He tapped his fingers together. "I mean...if [i]you[/i] think that's a good idea. I haven't foalsat before."

She kissed his cheek. "No...that's a good idea. We can stall for a little bit."

He raised his voice. "Well, I've found you! Let's go search down the hall!" They left the room and flew down the hall, ignoring the fruits room.

After about three more minutes, consumed by going down the hall, exchanging kisses, and coming back, they entered the fruits room. "I wonder if he's in here?" Discord said. She smiled, and began to fish around in a barrel of durians, while he fished in a tub of dragonfruits.

The next barrel he dived into was the apple barrel. He came back out holding a squirming, laughing Cheese. "Again!" he shouted. Discord and Fluttershy chuckled.

"Do you want to hide again?" Discord asked, receiving a nod in response. "Alright. Fluttershy, why don't you seek this time?" In a flash, the three of them were by the gong in the kitchen. She smiled, closed her eyes, and began to count.

* * *

The afternoon flew by in a series of games. After several more games of Hide and Seek, including one where Cheese was the seeker and Discord had decided curling around Fluttershy was the best way to hide, the colt had grown tired of the game.

Then he had asked to play tag. Discord had agreed, after widening the hallways and turning all the furniture into plush versions of itself. This was fortunate, as Cheese bumped into quite a lot of furniture as he ran. After several games of that, during which Cheese and Discord never seemed to run out of energy, Cheese became bored with that game, too.

Discord had then pulled out a game of Twister, which Cheese eagerly agreed to. During their second game, Fluttershy finally noticed the time on the wall. It was six o' clock. "Oh my," she said. "Cheese, what would you like for dinner?"

"Noodles!" he said a second before falling on his stomach.

"Alright..." She flew into the kitchen and grabbed Pinkie's list, scanning over his favorite foods. "Macaroni and cheese...he calls them 'noodles'," she read aloud. Setting the list down, she began to search the cupboards.

After some searching, and happy shrieks from the other room, she found some macaroni noodles. She started boiling them in a pot, and searched the fridge for cheese, milk, and butter.

As the noodles were boiling, she sliced up some apples, making sure the quarter for Lil Cheese was as thinly sliced as possible. She finished making the mac and cheese, and distributed it and the apples on three plates. She set them on the table and flew back into the living room.

Cheese was struggling to stand, with his back hooves crossed against each other, and one of his forehooves stretched out to the far corner. Discord, on the other hand, was balancing with ease, not even needing to use his magic. "Dinner's ready!" she told them.

Lil Cheese huffed in response. "Not leaving 'til I beat him!"

Discord sighed. "Kiddo, I am the champion at this game. Are you sure you don't want to break for a nice meal?"

"No!" Cheese shouted.

Fluttershy sighed. "Lil Cheese, if you want to beat him, I can help you." The colt looked up at her, eyes squinting as he thought over the idea. After wobbling on his hooves again, he nodded.

She approached Discord's head. He looked at her nervously. "Um, sweetheart? What exactly are you going to do?"

"Discord..." she said quietly. With a quick motion, she kissed his cheek and wrapped her hooves around his neck. "I love you," she cooed.

"Buh..." His face flushed bright red, and his limbs shuddered...before he slumped to the ground with a contented sigh. Lil Cheese cheered and leapt to his hooves.

"Alright, Cheese," she said, ruffling his poofy mane. "Why don't you go into the kitchen and wash up?" He nodded and bounced away, a wide smile on his face. She aporoached her husband.

He glared up at her. "You play _dirty,"_ he growled as he stumbled back onto his feet.

She smirked and brushed his back with her wing. "Thanks to your influence, sweetie," she cooed. She pulled away her wing and headed towards the kitchen.

Before she could get very far, though, Discord grabbed her shoulders, picked her up, and pressed his lips against hers. She sighed, eyes slowly starting to drift shut, before she quickly blinked awake and pulled away. "Discord, Lil Cheese is waiting," she told him. He pouted, so she quickly kissed his snout and said, "So we'll have to pick this up later."

And with that, he let her go, and they both entered the kitchen.

* * *

After several minutes of messy eating, followed by several more minutes Fluttershy trying to catch Lil Cheese and clean him off, dinner had finshed. Discord tossed the dishes into the sink, where they began to scrub themselves clean, splashing soapy water onto the floor.

"Can we play Hide n' Seek again?" Cheese asked, bouncing on his hooves. Fluttershy glanced at the clock of the living room wall.

_Seven o' clock. His bedtime is in an hour_, she thought. _We shouldn't do anything to rile him up too much..._ "How about a board game?" she said aloud.

Cheese huffed. "I don't wanna play a bored game. 'S boring."

"Au contraire, my little pony!" chimed Discord. "You just haven't found the right board game to play! Now, let's see..." He snapped his fingers, and a blue treasure chest appeared in front of him. He plunged in and began digging through.

He held up a green and black box. "Hmm...fun, but a little too spooky for you." He tossed it over his shoulder and pulled out a simple chess box. "Might be too complicated or boring for you." He dropped it and pulled out a stack of thick books, sheets of paper, and dice that was taller than the chest itself. He grinned, but then frowned and said, "No, O&O is definitely too complicated for you."

He dropped the stack, which fell into the chest with a loud thud. Fluttershy came to his side and peered into the jumbled mess. A light blue box with gold lettering on it caught her eye. "What about this?" she asked, pulling it out of the chest.

"Lost Cities..." he read. "That's a good one! A little too much math and number stuff for my taste, but still fun! And easy enough to learn. Plus, a full game lasts about an hour." He carefully took the box from her and showed it to Lil Cheese. "What do you think of this?"

Cheese scrutinized the box. "What's it about?"

Discord let go of the box, which floated over to a table, opened itself up, and let all the game pieces fly out and set themselves into place. He grabbed the instructions and began explaining to the other two while they took their seats.

As Discord talked, Lil Cheese looked more and more interested, until finally declaring he wanted to play. After a minute or so of explaining rules, dealing cards, and deciding who got what color of pieces, the three began the game.

* * *

Lil Cheese turned out to be quite a good strategist, and won the game. Fluttershy was in second place, five points behind him, while Discord was ten points behind her. She looked at him, and he quickly winked as the games started to put itself away, floating back over to the box.

After checking the wall clock, Fluttershy said softly, "Alright, Lil Cheese. It's time for bed."

He crossed his hooves. "I'm not tired, Auntie Shy," he huffed.

"Okay," she said. "Why don't you just lie down quietly for a bit, and I'll sing you a lullaby?"

Lil Cheese hesitated for a second, but then laid down on the couch. Discord snapped his fingers, and a pillow and blanket appeared, which he snuggled into. Fluttershy took a deep breath and began to sing some of her favorite lullabies.

After finishing the second one, she paused and saw that Cheese was breathing soundly, sleeping peacefully. She smiled and pulled the blanket up to his chin before backing away.

She glanced over and saw that Discord was leaning against the wall and smiling at her. "Have I ever mentioned how lovely your voice is?" he sighed. She blushed, glancing away. "How much longer until we drop him off?"

She glanced at the clock. "A little less than half an hour," she whispered. "Hopefully we can take him to Pinkie without waking him up."

He nodded, then nuzzled her cheek. "Thanks for this," he whispered. "I really did miss...having a young kid around." He sighed, plopping his head on her shoulder. "But I forget it could be...tiring. And a bit repetitive."

She smiled at rubbed at the back of his neck. "Do I need to put you to bed, too?" She said teasingly. He hummed. "...Are you actually thinking about it?"

"...Maybe."

* * *

Less than half an hour of quiet cuddling later, Fluttershy carefully scooped Lil Cheese into her hooves. Discord snapped his fingers, and the two of them appeared outside of Sugar Cube Corner. He knocked on the door.

It was slowly opened by Pinkie Pie, who peered carefully at the sleeping colt. "Oh, good! You got him to sleep," she whispered, carefully taking him into her own hooves and placing him on her back before heading into the back.

They carefully stepped in. Cheese Sandwich stepped forward and shook hooves with them. "I can't thank you enough," he said. "He was just a bundle of energy today. I don't know how you convinced him to go to bed!"

Pinkie came back out. "So, how did it go?"

Fluttershy smiled. "It went very well! He was a little fussy, but also polite. Though it was very...tiring." Discord nodded.

Pinkie pulled them both into a hug. "Well, I'm so glad you did this! Cheese and I finally got some inventory done, and had some alone time!" She let go and trotted over to the counter. "I know you don't really need money because [i]magic[/i], so...cupcake?"

She held out a platter with two cupcakes. One appeared to be vanilla, covered with yellow frosting, while the other looked like chocolate, and had rainbow frosting and sprinkles on it. Discord snagged the chocolate one and bit into it, while Fluttershy grabbed the other and carefully unwrapped it.

She took a bite. "Pinkie, this is delicious!"

"I agree," Discord said. "Is that...chili powder?"

"We had extra in the pantry," Cheese Sandwich said. "Pinkie figured you'd like it."

Fluttershy smiled. "Thank you, Pinkie. We'd love to do this again," she said, glancing at Discord. He smiled, and lopped an arm over her shoulders.

"I think it's about time we be off," he said. "Ready, dear?" Nodding to him, and waving goodbye to Pinkie and Cheese, they disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

As soon as they were back home, Discord slumped to the floor with a moan. Fluttershy sighed. "Sweetie, I don't think I can carry you to bed. Can you get to the bedroom while I put these cupcakes away?"

He groaned and began to slither away. She flew into the kitchen and quickly found a bag and cupboard to put their cupcakes in, before flying to their bedroom.

Discord was just finishing crawling onto the bed. Sighing, she pulled the sheets out from under him and lifted them up to his chin. She slid under the covers and kissed him on the forehead. "Good night, Discord." With a sigh, she snuggled into her pillow, already feeling Discord's arms drape over her.

As soon as she closed her eyes, she could feel the world around her become fuzzier, more distant. Just before she drifted completely off into sleep, she heard him sleepily mumble something.

"Should we have one?"


	8. The Healer's Touch

"Flutershyyyyy!" Discord cried from somewhere inside the house. Her ears flicked up, and she put her book to the side, jumping out of bed.

"Discord? Where are you?" she shouted back in response, her voice echoing down the halls.

"I'm in—ow—the art room! Hurry, please!" he called back.

She quickly galloped down the hall, searching for the door to the art room. The layout of the house was shuffled every so often, though she had becoming skilled in figuring out the new locations of rooms. Now, though, when she worried for her husband's safety, it was difficult to think of how the house was laid out this week.

Finally, she found a wooden door splattered with paint, the handle crudely carved out of wood. "Discord!" she cried, throwing the door open.

Discord was standing in front of the woodworking bench, cradling his claw in front of him. She quickly rushed to his side. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He turned to her, his eyes wide and shiny, a large pout on his face. He slowly held his claw out towards her, and said in a plantative whine,

"Splinter!"

Indeed, imbedded in his middle claw was a fairly large sliver of wood. Defintely not pleasant, but definetly not life-threatening, either. She sighed, dropping back to the ground. "Discord...you have magic and fingers. You're more than capable of pulling it out yourself."

"I can't!" he cried. He raised in claw delicately into a snapping position, showing it was impossible with the splinter in the way. He grabbed at it with his fingers, but winced and flinched away when he barely touched it.

"Why can't you snap it away with your other hand, or with your tail?" she asked.

He whined, "I don't know how much it's going to hurt when it disappears. That awful future pain is preventing me on focusing on getting rid of it!" He held his claw out again. "Please, Fluttershy! I know you know some way of getting this out without any pain!"

She sighed. "Alright. Come with me." She flew back down the hall towards the living room, and he floated slowly behind her. "Lay down on the couch, please. And make yourself comfortable."

He laid down on his back, using his paw to fluff a pillow while he kept his claw against his chest. She flew out and into the bathroom, grabbing their small first-aid kit. She came back into the living room and saw Discord pouting on the couch.

She set the kit beside him, then walked to their record player. She slid in his favorite record and adjusted the volume. Soft, screeching static filled the room. Next, she opened the curtains wide, showing the ever-shifting, multicolored sky outside. A living book flew past, waving a spindly appendage at her.

After waving back, she came back to Discord's side and opened the kit. "Okay, Discord. If I'm going to get out that splinter, I need you to do two things for me: give me your claw, and focus on that window and the...music."

He pried his claw away from his chest and handed it to Fluttershy. He kept it as stiff as a board, and had his eyes trained on her. "Sweetie, I just need you to relax and look out the window."

He snorted and turned his head, shifting so that he was lying on his side. She gently rubbed at his still-stiff arm. With a sigh, he pressed his paw against his shoulder, and his arm became as limp as a noodle. "Better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you." She took the tweezers from the kit, but realized he was still watching her out of the corner of his eye. "Why don't you tell me what you were doing in the art room?"

His gaze shifted towards the window. "Well...I had just read about something interesting. Some unicorns at Twilight's school figured out how to used their magic to engrave wood!"

Fluttershy grabbed the tweezers in her mouth, pinched down on the splinter, and quickly pulled it out in one swift motion.

"Really impressive designs, too. They need to use their magic at just the right amount of power to etch and cut through the wood, instead of just, say, burning it. I figured I might try my hand at it with my own magic."

She noticed a tiny drop of blood appear as she dropped the splinter onto a paper towel. She grabbed a cotton ball and a small bottle of disinfectant, softly dabbing at his injury. His claw twitched lightly.

"And things weren't going perfectly for me. I may have burned some wood, set a few pieces on fire...but finally, finally I figured it out! I was going to etch a picture of us, then cut out the shape of a heart, but then, a small part of the wood got burnt."

She dropped the cotton ball onto the same paper towel as the splinter. Fishing through the kit, she pulled put a band-aid with a cartoonish version of Discord's smiling face printed on it. She carefully wrapped it around his finger, making sure to not press down harshly where he had bled.

"So I figured I'd just brush away that burn mark with a little magic. But when I was doing that with my claw...something poked me. And once I pulled away, I felt an immense pain travel up my arm, coursing through me! Once I figured out what had happened, I called for you, and you know the rest."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Thank you. I feel more relaxed now that I've gotten that off of my chest." He squeezed the pillow in his paw. "I...I think I'm ready now. P-pull it out, Fluttershy."

"I'm already done," she said, closing the kit.

He opened his eyes and sat up. "Wait...what? But—"

"You didn't feel it?" He nodded, and she continued, "I pulled it out when you first started talking. See? It didn't hurt that much, did it?"

He raised his arm, looking at his hand from every angle. Slowly, he brought his fingers into a snapping position, but winced. "It's still kind of sore," he said, giving his claw a disdainful shake.

"It just needs some time to heal," she told him. "You'll be better before you know it!" She gently took his claw in her hooves and gave his injured finger a light kiss.

A shiver traveled up his arm, his ears shooting up when it reached his shoulder. A wide grin spread on his face, and he clasped his hands to his chest as she pulled away and lifted up the kit, hovering into the air. "Thank you, dear Fluttershy," he said softly.

She smiled. "You're welcome, Discord. Would you like to come read a book with me? It'll take your mind off of your finger."

"I would like that," he said, following her out of the living room. He summoned a book and made himself comfortable in bed while Fluttershy put away the kit. A minute later, she climbed into bed and leaned against his side, opening her own book.

Leaning against each other, tails curled together, and with his hand on top of her head...Discord slowly forgot about the soreness of his finger.


	9. Baking Bad

Fluttershy and Discord jumped when a small, pink portal opened up above their table, a small scroll falling out. Fortunately, Discord was able to stretch his arm out and grab it before it landed in the orange juice pitcher. Fluttershy flew over to his side, curious.

"Mail? We haven't gotten mail for quite a while. Who's it from?" she asked. He rolled the scroll over so they could see the wax seal. "From Twilight? Oh, I hope nothing has gone wrong..."

"Well, let's open it and see, shall we?" Discord said, using his claw to break the seal and unroll the scroll. Clearing his throat, he began to read it aloud in an imitation of Twilight's voice.

"_Dear Fluttershy and Discord,_

_It is my pleasure to invite you both to participate in the first Equestrian Friendship Baking Tournament! This event is open for all to participate, and I would love for all of the Council of Friendship to join! Each contestant or team of contestants will make some sort of baked good (i.e. pie, cake, cookies) and be judged by the Royal Chefs themselves!_

_The purpose of this contest is to support local businesses, and the winners of each category can pick one organization of their choice to have a donation sent to!_" Discord snorted and said in his own voice, "You don't even get to keep the money?"

"Discord...you don't even need money," Fluttershy sighed. "You can make everything you need with magic. And we already have a stockpile of bits in the bank that we never use."

He grumbled, "Well...it's the principle of the thing..." He grunted and quickly read through the rest of the letter.

"List of categories: cakes, pies, cookies, bread and bread-based foods, and other pastries. Looks like that's about it...wait, there's a post-script." He switched back into Twilight's voice. "_P.S.: Discord, I know you can make anything with a snap, but you have to actually_ bake _whatever you decide to make, with ingredients that you_ buy _from real businesses. You can use magic when you're baking or decorating, just.._.try_ to stay with the spirit of this contest, please?_"

He groaned and handed the scroll to Fluttershy. "No magic? What next, I can't invite the Snooze to the Gala?"

She laid her hoof on his shoulder. "Discord, you can still use your magic. You just have to follow the spirit of the competition." She smiled. "Besides, supporting businesses is a good thing to do! We can get everything we need from Ponyville market, and spend the day baking together! Doesn't that sound fun?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. "Well...maybe. When is this tournament, anyway?"

She glanced through the scroll. "Next month. If we baked something early, could you preserve it with your magic?"

He smirked. "I could...But are you sure that's in the [i]spirit[/i] of the contest?," he said teasingly. She elbowed him in the ribs, biting her lips to keep from smiling. Discord was now clutching his side and bemoaning his cruel lot in life, biting his tongue to keep from laughing.

* * *

"How about a chocolate cake?," Fluttershy asked a few weeks later. The two of them were lying on the couch, reading their own books.

"Hmm?," Discord said, glancing over at her.

"A chocolate cake. For that contest," she said, shifting closer to his side. "It wouldn't be too hard to make...and you like chocolate, right?" She nuzzled her head against his chest.

He lifted his arm and stroked her mane, giving her a small scratch behind her ears. "Yeah...but it seems a shame to make a cake and not be able to eat it ourselves."

She cooed and leaned into his touch. "We could take what's left home after the contest, or we could make a second one for ourselves. Unless you don't want to participate?"

He sighed. "I've...never baked anything myself before. Not without using magic." He tapped his fingers together. "So, the end result might not be...all that good."

She sat up and placed a hoof on his back. "Don't worry. We'll do this together." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Besides, we can still have fun, even if it's not good."

With a chuckle, he sat up, holding her against his chest. "Alright, you've convinced me. A chocolate cake it is!" He released her and stood up, while she hovered in the air. "I'll let Twilight know we're in. Can you find a recipe?"

She nodded and flew into the hall, heading for the closet door to her cottage. She saw Discord pull a piece of paper and a peacock quill out of his ears and start to scribble quickly.

After a few minutes of searching in her files, she finally found an old recipe for a chocolate cake. She grabbed it and went back home, just in time to see a Discord breathe a small plume of green flame onto his scroll, which disappeared in a trail of smoke.

"There. Twilight should know we're making a cake," he said. "Now, I'm guessing that that's the recipe?"

She nodded and read the paper. "It seems simple enough. Just a few ingredients, and easy directions."

Discord summoned a glittery notepad and pink glitter pen. "Shall we make a shopping list, then?"

"Alright. We just need butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, salt, milk, and frosting." Discord quickly scribbled everything down and tore the small piece of paper out of the notepad.

"I'll stick it on the fridge," he said. She grabbed his arm before he could fly off.

"Or we could go get everything now. The market should be open today. Just let me grab my bits, and—" Discord snapped his fingers, and two coin purses appeared in his hands. "Oh, thank you. Shall we be off?"

He smiled and bent at the waist, offering her his arm. She took it, smiling, and with a snap of his fingers, they appeared in the middle of the marketplace. She gazed around, marveling at how much had changed. Where there were once stands only run and visited by ponies, now there were all kinds of creatures crowding in the square: griffons, kirin, and changelings were some of the first she spotted.

A few creatures jumped at their sudden appearance, but quickly went back to their business. Residents had adjusted somewhat to the fact that Discord would appear suddenly at times. "First is...butter!" Discord read, his head snapping up and twisting in all directions. "Now, where would we find that..."

"From someone who sells dairy. We can get the milk there, too," she told him. He pointed in the direction of a stand and took off, dragging Fluttershy along with him. She laughed.

* * *

Fluttershy sighed and took a seat in Sugar Cube Corner. Visiting the market with Discord was...different. From convincing him that yes, he had to wait in line, no, he could not take "free samples" from the cocoa stand, and NO, that was _not_ what she meant by flour, stay out of ponies' gardens!—the shopping had taken quite a while.

But he had meant well, even if he didn't quite understand how shopping worked. They had gotten almost everything without too much trouble, and even when he had made trouble, none of the shoppers, vendors, or garden owners seemed mad.

Discord had teleported home with their supplies, while she decided to rest and wait for him in Sugar Cube Corner. Pumpkin Cake came by and asked if she needed anything, which she politely declined. As the teen unicorn walked away, she felt the air shift behind her and a strong arm wrap around her shoulders.

She leaned against Discord's chest, tilting her head up to look at him. "Everything's put away?" she asked. He smiled and nodded, stroking her mane with his claw. "...And the eggs, butter, and milk are in the fridge?"

He grinned. "Why, of course! I remembered that eggs are definitely supposed to be in the fridge, and certainly not in warm places..." She saw him snap his tail feathers. She sighed, but smiled up at him, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

A cough from the counter made them look over. Pumpkin Cake was standing there, a blush on her face, trying to avoid eye contact with them. Both of them blushed bright red, and Fluttershy's wings beat quickly as she pulled away from Discord.

The two approached the counter. "Pumpkin Cake, what kinds of frosting do you have left? We're baking something for the tournament," Fluttershy said.

Discord pulled off his antler and pulled out a flyer inside. "Apparently, cakes can get bonus points for how they're decorated, as well as how they taste," he read. "Let's see...for colors, I'll need pink, definitely. Blue, green, red...maybe some yellow? Oh, we'll need edible glitter and sprinkles, too."

Pumpkin frowned. "Um...we don't have any of those colors left. Or sprinkles."

Discord deflated. "Oh...well, what colors do you have? C'mon, give me something to work with, here."

"We have...white." Silence. "Oh, and edible glitter! We still have that in all colors."

Discord sighed, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose. "One color. One. Plain. Color. That's all you have left?"

Pumpkin nodded, frowning. "Yeah. Pinkie and Cheese have been 'experimenting' with their cake." A crash came from the kitchen, and a large glob of [i]something[/i] covered in a rainbow of frosting flew out, splattering against the wall. She sighed. "I'll be back in one second, okay?"

As she went to grab cleaning supplies, Discord turned to Fluttershy. "I can't design a masterpiece with one color!" he whispered. "We bought everything else. Can I please just snap up all the decorating goods we need?"

She stroked his cheek. "If anyone can be creative with just one color, it's you."

He huffed and crossed his arms. "I'm sensing that's a polite way of telling me 'no'."

"Maybe a little. But I truly believe you can do something great with anything you're given." He grumbled something under his breath, to which she sighed and shook her head. "And we'll get all the edible glitter they have, and some food dye." He relaxed, his posture loosening the tiniest bit.

Pumpkin Cake was already at the counter. "Shall I ring all that up for you?" Fluttershy nodded. Pumpkin took a look at the supplies and winced. "We, um...only have blue dye left. Do you still want some bottles of that?"

Discord twitched behind her, biting his lip. "Yes, please!" Fluttershy said quickly. She was already counting out the bits as Pumpkin rang her up. As soon as everything was placed on the counter, she thrust her bits at Pumpkin, scooped everything into a bag, and flew up to wrap her forehoof around Discord's arm.

As soon as she was against him, they were teleported into their living room. Discord was twitching, his face red as he bit his lip. She placed her bag carefully on the floor, quickly flying to their couch and grabbing a pillow, bringing it to him.

He grabbed it and planted his face in it. "AAAAUUUUGH!"

She stroked at his back. "I know, I know. I know it's frustrating." Another muffled yell was the only response she got. "Let it all out."

* * *

Several minutes later, Discord finally stopped screaming and lifted his head from the pillow. "Feel better?" she asked, still stroking his back.

"A little, I guess," he muttered.

"Why don't you lie on the couch for a bit?" she suggested. He floated over and flopped onto the sofa, pressing his face into the pillow again—this time, without any screaming. She grabbed the bag of decorating items and flew into the kitchen, finding a spot in the cupboards for all of it.

She flew back into the living room, where Discord was still laying down. She landed at his side and began to stroke his back. "I know you can think of something fun and chaotic," she said quietly. "You always do. I believe in you." She pressed her cheek against his own. After a few seconds, his head lifted and he returned the gesture.

"Let's wait on baking that cake until you have an idea," she said, stroking his mane. "I know you were looking forward to decorating it. And we still have a few weeks before the tournament, anyway."

He made a muffled noise. "I'm going to start making dinner. Any requests?" she asked.

"Not cake," he grumbled. She stifled a giggle, ran her hoof through his mane one last time, and headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

The next day, Discord seemed to have woken up in a chipper mood. "I have an idea!" he happily informed her as they were eating breakfast. She smiled at him.

"I knew you would. Do you want to bake it today? You can use your magic to preserve it until the tournament, right?"

He nodded. "With ease. But are you free today, my dear?"

She raised a hoof to her chin in thought. "Well...Dr. Fauna is running the sanctuary today. The school doesn't need me for anything..." She looked up and nodded. "If you're ready, we can bake it today."

He practically wolfed down the rest of his breakfast. Seeing his tail and fingers twitching with energy, she encouraged him to wash up and retrieve everything they needed, directing him to the recipe.

She finished up just as he was getting out a circular pan. She washed her hooves, checking to see what Discord had retrieved. He had grabbed two bowls, plus the sugar, salt, flour, baking soda, and cocoa.

"Can you get started?" she asked. "I'll grab the ingredients from the fridge." He squinted at the paper in front of him, grabbing a measuring cup while she turned to the fridge.

She carefully carried the butter, eggs, and milk to the counter. Reading over the recipe, she turned the oven to the correct temperature. Discord had already filled the larger bowl with sugar. She measured out the butter and added it, picking up the wooden spoon. "Can you measure out the dry ingredients in that bowl?" she asked. He tilted his head. "That's everything except for what goes in this bowl, plus the milk," she explained. He nodded and grabbed more measuring spoons, while she carefully mixed the butter and sugar.

Eventually, she had a creamy mixture, and began to carefully crack open her eggs. Discord squinted at the recipe and measuring spoons, carefully adding measurements. She saw him grin and dig a normal plastic spoon into the baking cocoa. "Don't," she warned him.

"Why not? I already added it. And I love chocolate!" he said, shoving the heap of powder into his mouth. His eyes widened, his whole face wrinkling impossibly in disgust.

"...Cocoa is bitter," she said too late. "Ponies add sugar to it. That's the reason chocolate is sweet."

He pulled the spoon out of his mouth, grimacing. "I'm gonna wash my tongue," he said, floating over to the sink and running the muscle under a stream of water. She sighed and carefully mixed in the eggs.

When the mixture reached a smooth, creamy texture, she leaned the spoon against the side of the bowl and turned to the milk. Discord, water dripping from his muzzle, approached and began to quickly mix his own bowl.

"Not too fast!" she said, turning around. "You might spill—" She froze, placing her hoof over her mouth. He was covered in a white powder, a small cloud puffing up from the bowl. He froze, stunned. She tried to stop a laugh, but a small giggle still escaped her.

He narrowed his eyes at her, then slowly grinned. His paw had already drifted towards the bag of flour. "Don't you dare!" she warned.

He grinned wider and threw a ball of flour at her. She sneezed, trying to wave away the cloud of dust.

"Discord! The batter!" she warned. He smirked and tapped at the air in front of the counter. Curious, she reached out, and felt her hoof stopped by an invisible force. The flour in the air was settling against the floor and barrier, leaving their batter untouched.

She sighed in relief, then turned to him with a grin. "That's it." She flew forward, using her tail to strike the bottom of the flour bag he held. A large cloud of it flew up into his face. He responded by blindly throwing more handfuls in her direction.

With a laugh, she easily dodged, and flew across the room. He followed, also laughing.

* * *

Several minutes later, the two of them were a giggling mess on the floor, covered head to hoof in flour. "I think we got a little off-track," she said with a giggle.

He smiled and stroked her mane, smearing more flour on her forehead with his thumb. She scowled and lightly pushed his hand away. "That was fun, though," he said, flopping back onto the floor, causing a white cloud to form around them.

She nodded. "We should probably get back to baking, though." He snapped his fingers, and all of the flour on them and the room flew out of the window in a great, floating stream. "Thank you."

She got back onto her hooves, Discord following closely behind her. She leaned forward slightly, squinting at the recipe. "Okay...if you're happy with how the dry ingredients are mixed, we need to add that and the milk to this bowl," she read, tapping at the rim of said bowl.

Just as Discord picked up his bowl, she quickly added, "Not all at once! We'll do it in small amounts, switching behind the milk and the dry things."

He paused, then set the bowl down. "Maybe you should pour it in. Like I said, I haven't done this, so I'm not sure what you mean by 'small amounts'."

"Alright. Why don't you mix? Just don't do it too fast, or it'll splatter up on us." He nodded and moved behind her, grabbing the spoon. She shifted to the side, grabbed the smaller bowl, and tilted it over the larger one, spooning in some of the ingredients.

He started mixing them in right away. "Is this right?"

She nodded. "Be sure to get it off the sides. And it's best if you do it in a 'folding' motion." She set down the bowl and took his paw, guiding it to fold a portion of the batter on top of another. "Like that."

"Thanks." He copied her motion. She smiled and flew around him, grabbing the milk and pouring some in. The room was quiet aside from the scraping of the wooden spoon against the plastic bowl, as Discord was totally absorbed in mixing.

Soon, everything was a uniform, creamy brown mixture. Fluttershy flew over and grabbed the pan. "All we have to do is pour it into this pan and bake it."

Discord spoke up. "Would levitating the batter right into the pan be against the 'spirit' of this?"

She tapped her chin in thought. "Well...I suppose not. And pouring can take some time, so it probably would be best..." The batter was already being lifted in a golden aura and gently placed down, perfectly smooth, into the waiting pan. "Thank you. Can you get started on the dishes while I put this in?"

"Already on it," he replied, throwing the bowls and spoons out the window, using a baseball glove to catch them as they flew back inside, clean. She smiled and set the batter in, setting a timer shaped like a large chicken egg.

* * *

The timer cracked open, releasing a small yellow chick. It began chirping loudly, demanding attention. The couple looked up from their jigsaw puzzle and flew over to the oven.

Fluttershy gently stroked the chick's head. "Hello, there," she cooed. Discord summoned up a pair of neon orange oven mitts, opened the oven, and pulled out the cake.

He set it down on top of the oven, using his tail to turn said oven off. His mitts disappearing, popping like soap bubbles, and he rubbed his hands together. "Time to see what I can do with this," he said gleefully.

"Discord, you need to wait for the cake to cool," she said, scooping the chick into her hooves.

He grunted and pointed a finger at the cake. Lowering his thumb, a soft hiss of air came from his hand, and the cake appeared to steam noticeably less. With his claw, he laid some parchment paper on the counter, while he used his paw to levitate the cake out of the pan over to the counter.

As the baking ingredients floated out of cupboards and in front of him, she smiled. "I'm going to introduce this little one to the rest of the chickens," she said. "Could you make a new timer, please?"

He reached into his ear and pulled out a music box with a clock on top, plopping it down next to the oven. "Thank you." She flew forward and kissed his cheek. "Good luck. I know you'll make something amazing." He smiled softly as she flew out of the room.

* * *

Discord and Fluttershy appeared in the Canterlot Gardens in a flash of bright light. Discord held a shimmering blue bubble in his hands.

Twilight spotted them immediately and hurried through the forming crowd towards them. "Discord, Fluttershy!" she exclaimed, wrapping a wing around each of them. "I'm so glad that you could participate. Your spot is right over here!"

She guided them to a row of tables that was filled with cakes of all kinds. One cake was triple-tier, each level frosted with a different pattern of different colors. The name plate in front read "Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich".

"I guess their experimenting paid off," Discord said, prompting a smile from Fluttershy.

Twilight smiled at the two of them. "I can't wait to see what you've made. Rainbow Dash and Applejack made a pie," she pointed to a sad-looking pastry on the opposite table, "Spike made gem muffins, and Rarity tried her hoof at cupcakes." She pointed out the table across the cake table, where there sat a plate of sparkling muffins and elegantly frosted cupcakes. "I'm a bit disappointed I couldn't participate, but I am looking forward to being a judge!"

The three of them came to an empty spot where Fluttershy and Discord's names were written down. Discord gently set down the bubble, which silently popped when it came in contact with the table. Twilight gasped softly.

The cake looked like a miniature winter wonderland. White frosting mixed with glitter made up the snow, which peaked and dipped to form snowdrifts. Slightly off-center was a smooth, crystal-clear frozen lake of light blue frosting.

But the most unique thing was the tiny, moving figures of Fluttershy and Discord, bundled up in hats and scarves as they tromped through the faux snow.

"Discord," Twilight said, "It's beautiful, but I don't know how I feel about cutting this cake with..." She gestured to the tiny Discord, who was helping the tiny Fluttershy put on ice skates.

Discord grinned. "Don't worry, Twilight. They're just a small illusion, and they'll disappear as soon as someone gets close enough." He waved his paw just above the cake, causing the skating figures to flicker in and out of existence. "I mean, they might alter the frosting a little, but that's just chaos magic for you."

Twilight sighed in relief. "The judging will start in a few minutes. Take a look around! You won't be able to hang around the tables the judges are at." The two of them nodded, and began to move through the crowd, looking at several submissions.

* * *

After several minutes of waiting, the judges started going along the pies table, taking notes as they went. The cast of judges included Twilight, a unicorn, earth pony, and pegasus they didn't recognize, a dragon, and a changeling.

Discord had watched for the first few minutes, interested, before losing interest and wandering around the gardens. Fluttershy watched the judging and talked with her friends, keeping one eye on Discord at all times.

More time passed, and the judges announced they would start on the cakes. Discord appeared by her side in a flash, startling a few creatures. He placed a paw on her shoulder, and she felt it shake as the judges came closer to their cake.

The unicorn was the first to reach it. Raising an eyebrow at the figures building a snowpony, he raised a knife with his magic and took a small sliver of cake. The illusions vanished, and he took a small bit of the cake.

He immediately spat it back out, face wrinkled in disgust.

Fluttershy and Discord looked at each other while the judge scribbled furiously on his clipboard. "...Maybe he just has bad taste?" he said to her hopefully.

The rest of the judges went by. The pegasus spat her bite out, too. The earth pony looked displeased, but still swallowed her bite. Twilight forced a grin, but casually spat the cake put into a trash can when less eyes were on her. The changeling ran to the same trash can, gagging.

It was while the dragon judge took a bite when Discord froze, his eyes widening. "Discord?" she said quietly.

He laughed breathily . "You know how I measured the first ingredient, and you mixed it with the butter?" She nodded. "Was that, by any chance, supposed to be the sugar?"

Her own eyes widened, while the dragon jotted down her thoughts. "Discord...what did you do?"

He tapped his fingers together. "That...was actually the salt. A lot of salt," he admitted, "And I mixed the sugar in with the dry ingredients...as the amount of salt that was supposed to go in. So...the cake has more salt than sugar."

She sighed, placing a hoof against her forehead. He added, "In my defense, they're both white, sparkly powders."

She snorted, then started giggling. He joined in her laughter, and the two of them leaned against each other, chortling. After a minute or so, they sat down to catch their breath, still leaning against each other.

He pointed his thumb towards several colorful patches of flowers. "Since we know I've ruined our chances of winning...we don't we take a look at the gardens?" She nodded, and he helped her back onto her hooves. The two snuck off to wander around the gardens together.

* * *

"It was nice of them to let us keep the cake," Fluttershy said as they entered their house.

"I'm pretty sure they just didn't want to be the ones to deal with it," Discord said, setting the cake on the counter. He snapped his fingers and created a knife. "I'm actually curious how bad it is."

"Cut me a slice, too, please," she said. "I'm curious too."

He cut two small slices and placed them on neon green plates. A fork materialized by her hoof as she sat down, and he placed the plate in front of her. She waited for him to take his seat before digging her fork in, and the two took the first bite together.

She spat it out, her gag reflex kicking in at the sheer saltiness.

Discord, on the other hand, smiled and took another bite. "I think it's good," he said, taking yet another bite. She smiled and slid her plate over to him.

He glanced between his two plates, and the empty space in front of her. He snapped his fingers, and a slice of chocolate cake covered in white frosting appeared in front of her. She cautiously took a bite.

Her lips curved into a smile, as this cake was perfectly moist and sweet.

"If I could have done that," he said, "We could have won that contest. Or at least tied with Pinkie and Cheese."

She shook her head, chuckling. "But we had fun, didn't we?" He crossed his arms, but still nodded, taking another bite of salty cake. She smiled and continued eating her own cake.


	10. Buckball Craze

"Fluttershy!" Discord called. "Mail for you!" He bowed at the waist, offering her the small envelope. She took it gently.

"For me?" she asked. "Where did you find this? Don't most letters come through the mail portal from the post office?"

He nodded. "I just felt like checking your old mailbox, just because. I guess whoever sent this didn't get the memo that you don't live there anymore."

She carefully opened the letter and pulled out two pieces of paper: a bright, colorful pamphlet, and a letter. "The Buckball League of Champions," she read before passing the pamphlet to Discord and reading the letter.

"Dear Miss Fluttershy, we at the Buckball League of Champions would like to invite you and the rest of the Ponyville team to participate in our tournament. As the first team in the Buckball Hall of Fame, we would be honored for you to take part." She sighed and set the letter down.

_"Miss_ Fluttershy? What, have they been living under a rock?" Discord snorted.

She sighed. "Discord...it's fine. Besides, it looks like the rest of their information is out of date anyway."

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

She tapped her hooves together. "For one thing, I'm not on the Ponyville team anymore. The rules say that anyone on a team needs to either live or work in or adjacent to the town they play for. Sweet Feathers Sanctuary is just far enough away that it doesn't qualify as being adjacent to town."

He tilted his head. "But...I thought you and Pinkie would leave to go on Buckball trips."

"We do!" she said. "But we're just there to help Rainbow and Applejack practice. They took our spots on the team after Pinkie and I decided to withdraw. Snails still plays with them."

She looked down at the pamphlet for a few seconds, a gleam in her eyes. "I'd better make sure Rainbow and Applejack actually know about this," she sighed, shaking her head.

As she started to get up, Discord grabbed hold of her hoof. "Fluttershy, do you...want to participate in this?" he asked, tapping at the paper.

She glanced away. "Well...it would be nice to compete again...but I couldn't. I can't join Team Ponyville. And even if Pinkie wanted to play again, we need a unicorn to complete the team."

He let go off her hoof, and she flew off through one of the portals outside. He leaned back, stroking his beard, snapping up a book of Buckball rules and leafing through it.

* * *

By the time Fluttershy got back, he had drawn up a detailed plan in crayon. "Fluttershy!" He rushed up to her. "I have a plan that might work to let you participate!"

She blinked. "What, really?" He nodded eagerly, and began flipping through his drawings while she sat on the couch.

"First: like you said, you need a town." He flipped from a picture of house to a picture of just ponies. "The Buckball rules define a town as any location that has a certain population number. And while two isn't enough to make a town..."

He flipped to a drawing of Fluttershy surrounded by multiple versions of himself. "...I can create several copies of myself, meaning Chaosville can reach the population required to qualify as a town!"

She stared. "So...I could play for the [i]Chaosville[/i] team?" He nodded, grinning. A wide grin spread on her face...but that quickly turned into a frown. "But it takes more than me to make a team. Who else...?"

"Pinkie Pie will be the earth pony, of course," he said. "It should be simple to claim her acts of randomness are outside work for Chaosville. And as for the unicorn..."

He grinned. "The rulebook said any creature with the ability to levitate objects...from Kirin to changelings...could act as a unicorn player. And while it didn't mention draconequui..." He snapped his fingers and disappeared in a cloud of pink smoke.

He dispelled the smoke with his magic, stepping forward. He had changed into a unicorn with a grey coat, black mane, and bright blue horn. "I think I can act as a unicorn for at least a few games."

He paused, watching her face closely. She looked stunned, though she was slowly overcoming the shock. "You're...going to turn into a pony?" she finally said.

He nodded, grinning. "Yes! The league should hopefully allow for this...and for the rest of the team, actually..."

She looked down, then back up at him, pouting slightly. "...Do you [i]have[/i] to turn into a pony?" she asked, her eyes growing wide.

"Well, probably," he said. "I don't think they'd like me being tall enough to just...hold the bucket with my hands. And be able to swat at pegasus players. Shapeshifting isn't my favorite thing to do, but it's no trouble. Why?" He glanced at her, and saw she was still pouting. A lightbulb appeared above his head.

"Wait a minute...you miss my usual handsome face, don't you?" he said with a grin, appearing next to her on the couch, his red eyes gleaming.

She looked down. "...Yes," she whispered, leaning into him and trying to hide her face in his fur. He could see her ears turning pink.

He chuckled. "Worry not, dearest Fluttershy." He wrapped his hooves around her. "This is only temporary, and during the games. Before you know it..." His horn glowed, and he shifted back into his normal form, lifting her off the couch as he grew. "...I'll be my usual unusual self again."

She sighed and nestled into his fur as he tightened his grip on her. "So what do you say?" he asked. "Want to assemble this team and play Buckball again?"

He felt her nod, her head still pressed against his chest as her hooves wrapped around him. "Alright. Aside from all of the paperwork to take care of that, there's just one more thing we need to do."

She lifted her head enough to look at him. He bit his lip and rubbed at the back of his head. "I...actually need to learn how to play Buckball." She sighed, and lightly smacked her forehead against his chest.

* * *

After discussing the matter with Pinkie, who immediately agreed, Discord had teleported the three of them to the ponies running the Buckball League. After getting over their initial shock, and several assurances that Discord had been reformed (and married) for several years now, they listened to Discord's proposal.

A unicorn narrowed his eyes at Discord. "...You're no unicorn." Discord rolled his eyes and changed into his unicorn form. "Oh. Well, that works."

After several more minutes of discussion, there came Discord's least favorite part of this plan—paperwork. They had to fill out several forms to declare Chaosville was a town, he had to fill out a form declaring that he was a non-unicorn playing as a unicorn, then they each needed to fill out a form to register as a team.

After a grueling thirty minutes of this, Team Chaosville was registered to take part in the Buckball League of Champions. Discord couldn't snap them back home quickly enough.

"I'm glad that's over," he said, wiping sweat off of his forehead. "Fluttershy, how does a walk through the forests of Chaosville sound?"

She smiled and patted his paw. "That sounds nice, but there's something else we knew to do first." He tilted his head. "We have to actually practice playing. Can you take us to the practice field at Sweet Apple Acres?"

He sighed and nodded, snapping his fingers. The three of them appeared in a flash of light at the flat, grassy clearing. Pinkie immediately bounced over to a crate of balls and began to juggle them. Fluttershy turned to him.

"I guess you should...shapeshift..." she said, looking a bit downcast. He snapped his fingers, and changed form, slinging a foreleg over her shoulders.

"Who knows?" he said. "Maybe I'll be good enough we won't need practice, and I can just shift right back!" She sighed, shaking her head, before smiling at him and nuzzling his cheek.

Pinkies bounced one of the balls over to them. "You guys ready? I can pitch the balls your way. Fluttershy, you try to block, Discord, you try to catch!"

Fluttershy nodded and fluttered into the air. Discord grabbed a nearby basket in a light blue aura. Pinkie lobbed balls in their direction, which Fluttershy used her tail to whip back at her. He levitated the basket behind her, trying to catch any stray balls—but there weren't any. After the tenth throw, Pinkie stopped lobbing the balls, gesturing for the two of them to come over.

"Alright," Pinkie said. "Fluttershy, you're as good as ever. Discord, you're trying to play like a standard unicorn player, just following the pegasus and hoping they miss."

Discord tilted his head. "What else should I do?"

Pinkie shrugged. "I'm not sure. But I know you'll think of something!" She bounced the ball on the ground. They all took up their former position.

After five more balls were deflected by Fluttershy, he came up with a new idea. He nodded his head slightly to the right, looking Pinkie in the eyes. She sent him a small nod, and bounced the ball off of the ground and sent it their way. Fluttershy stayed where she was, whipping her tail out towards the ball.

Then, the ball's direction curved to the right. Discord darted the bucket quickly in that direction—and caught it, just before Fluttershy could snag it with her tail. Pinkie cheered, leaping into the air, while Fluttershy flew down and hugged him around the neck.

He chuckled, patting her on the back as he nuzzled her cheek. "Let's save the celebration for when I can actually pull that off in a game, okay?" he said. She pulled away and nodded, blushing a little. They continued to practice.

* * *

After about an hour, Discord was panting. After he managed to pull off the same trick a few more times, Fluttershy had caught on, and had started catching the balls before he could. Eventually, he came up with some more new tricks, and each of them got the ball about half of the time.

After a half hour of that, and a five-minute break, Discord had snapped his tail and created small practice areas for each of them. Pinkie's contained targets that would pop up randomly for a few seconds, which she would strike with the balls. Fluttershy's had a pitching machine that sent the balls in her direction, which she caught before they ended up in the net behind her. Finally, Discord's had the same type of pitching machine, along with a net that hovered in front of his basket.

He managed to catch most of the balls, the machine and net speeding up as he improved. But now, his muscles were screaming at him for rest as sweat poured down his muzzle. With a great sigh, he collapsed to the ground, letting the basket fall beside him with a thud.

Fluttershy gasped and flew to his side. "Discord, are you okay? Do you need some water?" she asked, brushing some loose strands of mane off of his forehead.

He sighed. "I'm fine. Just...really tired." She stroked at his mane.

"I think we've had enough practice today anyway," she said. To Pinkie, she said, "Do you want to do this tomorrow at our place?" Pinkie nodded before bouncing away.

He sighed and stamped his hoof on the ground. The equipment he had made for them disappeared, teleporting to Chaosville. His horn glowed lightly, and he slowly shifted back to his true form.

Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around her neck and pecked him on the lips. "Do you need to rest before we go home?"

He shook his head. "I'm tired, but I think I can manage that much magic." He snapped his fingers, and they appeared in their living room. With a sigh, he slithered over and onto the couch, flopping his head down on the pillow. He saw Fluttershy leave out of the corner of his eye, before approaching him with a tall glass of water and a damp cloth.

He snatched the glass and greedily drank from it while she gently dabbed at his forehead with the cloth. "Tomorrow, we'll take more breaks," she said. She placed her hooves on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Discord, promise me that when you feel tired, you'll stop and take a break."

"You and Pinkie weren't taking breaks," he remarked as he continued drinking.

"Yes, but Pinkie and I have played competitively, and we've built up plenty of stamina." She dabbed at his forehead with one hoof and stroked his mane with the other. "You don't have that kind of stamina yet. And wearing yourself down isn't going to make you a better player or improve your stamina. It'll just exhaust you."

He sighed, leaning into her touch. "Alright. If I'm tired, I'll take a break." He grinned. "Maybe I'll just sit and watch you practice the whole time."

She blushed, turning away. "N-no! You know what I mean! Practice is important, but I just don't want you to take it too far!" He chuckled and ruffled her mane.

"I know. I just think you're adorable when you're flustered." She squeaked and shoved him away playfully. He laughed nuzzling the top of her head.

* * *

Finally, after weeks of practice, the day had come. The Buckball League of Champions was about to begin.

Discord was in his true form, wearing a plaid jacket that only covered a small part of his torso. Fluttershy was leaning against him, wearing the same jacket, while Pinkie bounced around the locker room, glancing at the large poster of brackets on the wall.

"I'm surprised there's not more teams," she said. "I mean, this isn't as big of a tournament as I has thought! With only eight teams, we can win in three games!"

Discord grunted, "Honestly, I'm surprised they got this many teams...or that there's actually a crowd here to watch this. Their contact information for Team Ponyville was _horrendously_ out of date." He glanced at the board. "I mean, if they invited ponies from Las Pegasus, they must have be scrounging to get an even number of teams. I'm pretty sure that city is more about flashy attractions than sports."

Pinkie shrugged. "I'm just wondering how Cloudsdale can form a team. Aren't they all pegasi?"

A whistle sounded from outside. "I guess we'll find out," Discord said, stretching his limbs and shifting to his unicorn form. "You ready?"

The three of them headed out, side by side. On the other side of the arena, three pegasi stepped out. One of them had his wings tied to his sides, and headed to the center of the field. One passed Discord as he headed to the other side of the field, grabbing the bucket with his hooves and lifting it into the air. The third stayed on his side of the field, hovering up as Discord lifted up his basket.

The announcer stepped out to the middle of the field, and began talking about how each match would be won with six points, and explaining some of the rules. Eventually, he stepped back, holding out the ball. The crowd went silent.

He dropped the ball, and the field was suddenly filled with utter chaos.

* * *

The beautiful chaos lasted only a minute or so. Pinkie's unique play style caught both the "earth pony" and pegasus off guard, making it easy for him to catch the balls. Fluttershy never even had to intercept a single shot.

They had watched the next three games from the stands, Discord summoning buckets of popcorn for all of them. As he thought, the Las Pegasus team, while having glittery, showy outfits, fell easily to the Fillydelphia team. Appleloosa had a long match with Manehatten, but was victorious in the end. Team Canterlot was very skilled, but were ultimately unmatched by Ponyville.

Pinkie took a long sip of her soda. "Looks like it's us again," she said. "We'd better head down and get ready." Discord sighed and shifted back into a unicorn, making Fluttershy, who was pressed snugly against him, sigh in disappointment.

Fillydelphia had a standard, but skilled team. They were definitely good, even managing to score two points, but weren't ready for their nonstandard way of playing. Fluttershy intercepted many shots they were certain were out of her reach, and Pinkie's antics caught them by surprise, especially when she and Discord used their practiced "curve ball" technique.

The game was almost set, five points to two. Discord smiled and blew a kiss at Fluttershy, who blushed and looked away. The earth pony saw this as an opportunity and kicked the ball towards the goal. Even with a bright pink blush on her face, she easily caught it with her tail and sent it Pinkie's way.

The pegasus took his time reaching for the ball, obviously thinking that Discord was too distracted staring at his wife to beat him to the ball. _Too bad,_ Discord thought with a grin. _If there's one thing I can always keep track off, it's chaos._ He swooped the basket over just in time to catch the ball.

The referee blew his whistle. The two teams shook hooves and slowly left the field, Discord shifting back into his form as soon as they were off. Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around his torso. "Don't distract me like that!" she said, nuzzling into his chest.

"Are you trying to scold me?" he asked. "I'm honestly confused if you're trying to scold me or not." She just kept nuzzling into his fur, so he sighed and scooped her into his arms, carrying her into the bleachers.

They watched Team Ponyville play again Team Appleloosa. The two teams were both incredibly skilled, and after an intense half hour of the ball flying back and forth, the game was five points to five.

Applejack managed to buck the ball before Braeburn, though the pegasus intercepted it. Braeburn managed to reach it first, but Rainbow caught it, bouncing it with her wing. "Coming your way, AJ!" she shouted before throwing it back.

Braeburn rushed to where Applejack was standing, but to his shock, she ran far to the left, where she kicked the ball. The pegasus was unable to fly over in time, and Snails caught the ball with ease. The crowd exploded with applause.

They quieted down as a unicorn stood up, magically enhancing his voice. "We'll now take a fifteen-minute break while the last two teams—" he glanced down at a paper he was holding. "Team Chaosville and Team Ponyville head to the locker rooms to prepare for the final match."

Discord snapped his fingers, and the three of them teleported to the locker room.

* * *

The three of them marched onto the field. The unicorn announcer began chattering about the members and history of both teams (Discord noticed that he named Pinkie and Fluttershy as being with Ponyville before correcting himself), while the two teams approached each other in the middle of the field.

"I'm glad to see you playing again, Pinkie, Fluttershy," Applejack said.

"Totally!" cheered Rainbow Dash. "Even if it is during a terribly-planned event."

Discord laughed. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that."

The referee blew at his whistle, tapping at the ball he was holding. The six of them sighed and trotted over to their positions. Discord waved at Fluttershy as he lifted the bucket. She waved back.

Rainbow sighed as she hovered in front of him. "Are you going to make googly eyes at each other the whole game?" She shook her head. "Are you _trying_ to make this too easy for us?"

Discord smiled. "We've won every other game so far. Don't count us out just yet, Dashie."

The referee blew at his whistle again, and their heads snapped back to the middle of the field. Applejack was preparing to buck as the ball was dropped—but Pinkie beat her to it with a somersault kick. Discord was prepared to catch it, but Rainbow was already in front of the bucket, smacking it back to Applejack.

She bucked it right towards Snail's bucket, but Fluttershy caught it with her tail and whipped it over the field. Pinkie hit it with the top of her head, sending to Discord's bucket. He managed to catch it just before Rainbow darted in front.

He tossed the ball back over to the referee, who threw it up into the air once Pinkie and Applejack were in position. Applejack managed to leap into the air and buck the ball before Pinkie could try her somersault kick again. Fluttershy wasn't able to stop it from going into Snail's basket.

She looked worried as the referee took the ball back. Discord waved his hoof, catching her attention. Once she made eye contact with him, he gave her a reassuring smile. She softly smiled back, before they both snapped back to attention.

* * *

Each of them had earned five points. The announcer was shouting with excitement, and the crowd became quiet, leaning forward in their seats as the referee tossed the ball into the air.

Pinkie managed to leap into the air, hitting the ball with her head. Rainbow slapped it with her wing, and Applejack bucked it over to Snails. Fluttershy managed to catch it in a spinning tail catch, sending it soaring back across the field.

Applejack intercepted it, sending it back to her. She caught it in another tail spin, and sent it flying to Pinkie. Just before kicking it, Pinkie looked Discord in the eyes and jerked her head to the right. He nodded.

Rainbow smirked, hovering in place and tensing, preparing to hit the ball. Just before she could, though, it curved to the right—and landed right in the basket he was levitating. The crowd exploded in cheers. Fluttershy darted across the field and hugged him around the neck.

"You did it!" she cheered.

He chuckled, returning to his true form and wrapping an arm around her. "[i]We[/i] did it," he said, reaching out with his other arm and pulling Pinkie into the hug.

The others trotted over to them, smiling. "You all did great!" Rainbow said, smiling. Applejack and Snails nodded.

Somepony from the stands cheered, and they turned their heads to see Cheese Sandwich and Lil Cheese rushing at them. Discord set down Pinkie, just in time for her to be glomped by her husband and son.

Discord smiled as ponies quickly rushed out, fumbling to quickly set up cameras and take pictures of them. "Hey, how does ice cream sound?" he said. "For all of us. Team Chaosville and Team Ponyville."

Fluttershy leaned her head up until it was touching his chin. "I think I saw a nice park on the way here. Can we eat there?"

"If everyone else wants to," he said, glancing up at them. Everypony nodded, making sounds of agreement. With a grin, he snapped his fingers, and they teleported away, just as the harried photographers were finished snapping rushed photos.


	11. Heart-Shaped Sweets

Fluttershy entered their house carefully, glancing around to see if Discord was in the living room. She saw it was empty, and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Carefully tucking a certain object deeper into her saddlebag, she flew though the kitchen, heading for the pantry.

The kitchen was equally empty, to her relief. She flew past the door that led to their personal pantry, and instead opened the one where she kept extra food and medical supplies for her animals. Unlike the pantry they used, where Discord shoved in random foods he found or created until there was a large, unorganized mess—"It doesn't have to be organized. I use it for [i]browsing[/i]," he had said. "For when I'm not sure what I want. If you or I want a certain food so badly, I'll make it myself!"—the animal pantry was carefully stocked and organized.

Discord expressed some distaste over having such an organized room in the house, but she had assured him that she would take care of everything to do with the room, and wasn't an infinite space for finite supplies, unchanged by time, unusual enough? He had sighed and nodded, and would oftentimes help her stock the shelves, though he usually avoided the room like the plague otherwise.

Which was why it was the perfect place to leave her certain item.

She carefully unpacked her saddlebags, placing each item in its proper place. Her saddlebags contained more items then they should have be able to logically hold, but she soon reached the bottom. With yet another careful glance around, she assured herself that Discord wasn't near.

She pulled out a large, heart-shaped box, tied shut with a golden ribbon. Quickly, she placed it behind a large bag of carrots until she was sure that it couldn't be easily spotted from any angle. With a smile, she closed her saddlebags and left the pantry.

She spotted the calendar floating around like a jellyfish in the hallway. Hearts and Hooves Day was less than a week away, marked with a pink, glittery heart.

A grin spread on her face. Discord was never a big fan of the holiday, but he would use any excuse to give her a gift. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when she surprised him his present. It had taken some collaboration with Pinkie Pie during trips into town or the sanctuary, and plenty of thinking about where to hide it, but she believed she had gotten him a perfect gift.

White, dark, and milk chocolate, each poured into a mold of a segment of a heart. The white segment contained mint, the milk segment had peanut butter, and the dark chocolate segment was left alone—just pure chocolate. Tucked into the box was a simple card she had made herself while the chocolate was settling in the mold—a simple, but heartfelt declaration of love.

She shook the thoughts away as she placed her saddlebags into a drawer in their bedroom. _If he sees me smiling, he'll think something's going on,_ she thought, _and he might start searching around for the gift._ She recalled their first Hearth's Warming together, where she had simply hidden his presents in a closet...and woke up the a week before the holiday to find opened presents and a guilty husband.

"I couldn't help myself," he had admitted with a hung head. "...Can I give you your presents, since I've gotten mine?"

She hadn't been angry, so much as disappointed (mostly in herself). After declining the early presents—Discord had been on the edge of his seat the whole week, a wide grin on his face and bounce in his step when he was near her—she had thought carefully about how to hide presents in the future. She always hid them in a different place each time, only repeating locations if they proved very effective. Sometimes, she had her friends hold onto gifts until whatever celebration was coming up.

As she closed the drawer, she felt the air shift as she heard Discord teleport behind her. "Fluttershy!" he said. "I didn't hear you come in!"

He grabbed her and crushed her against his chest. His fur was soaking wet, water pooling on the floor under him, and she laughed and recoiled slightly. "Discord!" she said, squirming. "You're getting me wet!"

He chuckled, nuzzling the top of her head and letting water drip from his mane onto hers. "Well, I was at the bottom of the swimming lake," he said. "Why do you think I didn't hear you?"

She laughed, playfully pushing his muzzle away. With a little more squirming, she slipped out of his damp hold and flew into the bathroom. He floated behind her, only to have a towel thrown over him. He squawked in surprise, and she flew up and began to furiously rub him dry, making sure to "accidentally" tickle him with her feathers as she did so.

He laughed and struggled, his head popping out of the towel to shook her hurt look. It lost its effectiveness, coupled with the toothy grin on his face. She giggled and nuzzled his cheek, planting a kiss there before she finally pulled away.

After a few more minutes of messing around, they finally pulled away from each other, laughing. Fluttershy tossed the towel back onto its rack, and Discord snapped his fingers to create several sponges that mopped up the puddles he had left in his wake.

While Fluttershy did her best to causally select a book from her bookshelf, and to not look at Discord without appearing to be actively avoiding his gaze, eventually she gave in and looked over. He was rooting through his games chest, but his attention was solely on her. He was grinning widely, a spark in his eyes.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Oh...nothing," he said quickly, his grin still not fading. He quickly grabbed a deck of cards and settled himself on the bed, playing Solitaire on the air in front of him, glancing at her every few seconds.

_He must have gotten me a present,_ she thought as she finally grabbed a journal of somepony who had created a device to breathe underwater, sliding onto the bed and leaning against his side as she began to read.

She curled closer to his side, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, burying his fingers into her mane. Every so often, he would glance at her with a grin, before turning back to his game. She nestled into his fur and continued to read her book.

* * *

Days passed by, Discord growing more and more excited with each passing day. But now, it was Hearts and Hooves Day. When Fluttershy woke up, the calendar was floating right in front of her. The glittery heart sprang out at her, a small, happy tune playing just to make sure she knew what day it was.

She yelped and jumped into a sitting position. The calendar floated away and out of the room, its job done. Discord grunted from beside her, his brow furrowing as he shifted closer to her side.

She smiled and snuggled into his chest. He sighed and flopped his arms around her. She kissed his forehead. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Discord," she whispered. "I love you."

"Mmm...love you..." he mumbled. "Happy...Hooves..." He grumbled the rest, burying his muzzle into her mane.

Just a minute later, he shifted, blinking awake. "Wait...Heart and Hooves Day?" he said under his breath. She sighed, closed her eyes and wrapping her forehooves around his torso, cuddling against his chest.

He shot up into a sitting position, and she let him slide out of her grip. With a plastic fishing rod, he snagged the calendar from the other room, whipping it in front of him. The glittery heart popped out at him, and he released the calendar, which quickly floated away.

He quickly wrapped an arm behind her shoulders, lifting her up into a passionate kiss. She moaned, closing her eyes in bliss as he pressed her against his chest, deepening the kiss as much as he could.

Their lips pulled apart with a soft click as they gasped for breath. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day," he said, kissing her cheek. "I love you." He kissed her forehead.

She giggled and pecked him on the lips. "I love you, too." He grinned, pulling her even closer against his chest.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Now, I know we normally make breakfast together, but since today [i]is[/i] a holiday about romance and loving each other, I'd like to spoil you." He snapped his fingers, and a golden platter appeared, floating in the air. It held a plate of heart-shaped pancakes, filled with chocolate chips, a glass of chocolate milk, and a thin glass vase with a single pink tulip.

He slowly, reluctantly detached himself from Fluttershy. The platter slowly lowered itself onto her lap.

"Oh, Discord," she said. "You didn't have to..."

He waved it off. "As always, my dear, I _wanted_ to! Go on, dig in, dig in!"

She smiled and began taking large bites out of the pancakes. Discord summoned an orange and began fiddling around with it, turning it over and over it his hands, occasionally poking at it. Finally, he lightly pulled it into two halves—each of them falling into a careful, beautiful sculpture of a blooming flower, the peel folding itself into leaves.

He placed one half next to her pancakes, and summoned up his own silver platter with the same contents as hers (minus the flower, and with square pancakes). They ate in silence for the next few minutes, Fluttershy leaning against Discord's side as he let one of his arms drape over her shoulders.

When they were finished, the platters inflated into heart-shaped balloons, which floated up to the ceiling, their strings tangling together. Fluttershy quickly grabbed the vase and set it carefully on her nightstand.

She kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Discord." He blushed, rubbing at the back of his neck, before grinning toothily at her.

"I assure you, I have more prepared than that!" he said. From behind his back, he pulled out a large, rectangular box, covered in red, pink, and silver glitter.

He beamed and shoved it into her hooves. "Open it, open it!" he said, his tail wagging as his hands clasped together. She giggled and shook her head at his antics, carefully lifting the lid off.

The box was filled to the brim with bite-sized, heart-shaped chocolates, threatening to spill over the side as she lifted off the top. Some of the chocolates were perfectly shaped, while others were misshaped lumps. Most were coated with milk chocolate, some with dark chocolate, and even a few white chocolate.

"I promise you, they are all edible this year!" he said. "No habanero filling. No paper clips or toothpaste."

She giggled, popping one of the candies into her mouth. Peppermint and vanilla. "It's good," she told him, causing him to beam widely, a tiny 'squee' escaping his throat.

He tapped at the lid she had placed to the side. There was elegant, cursive writing on the inside. She picked it up and began to read.

_My dear, sweet, amazing Fluttershy,_

_You know I dislike this holiday at times, what with it being thrust on us by the greeting cards and chocolates industry. But I have to say that you, Spike, and Big Mac have made me come around to what this day is supposed to be about._

_It's about telling the creatures you love how much you love them._

_And I know I say this every day, and will continue to do so—and it's never going to be enough times—I love you. I love you more than chaos. I will love you for the rest of my life, even if every star in the sky fades away, even if the ground crumbles beneath my feet, and_

_Oh, sweet chaos, I've made this terribly cheesy. Good thing this is a rough draft, and you won't see this version!_

_Still, huggies and kisses,_

_Your hubby Discord_

She glanced over at him. He had buried his face into his hands, though he was looking at her out of the corner of his eyes. "...I forgot to rewrite that," he moaned, his entire body turning a lovely shade of light pink.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I think it's sweet," she cooed.

He pouted. "It's cheesy and sappy." She smiled and nuzzled his cheek.

"Oh!" she said. "I actually need to get something. Can you wait here just a minute for me?" He nodded, holding the chocolates box as she flew off of the bed and out of the room.

With just a few minutes of searching behind the bags of carrots, she had the present in her grasp. She flew back to the bedroom, hiding it behind her back as she entered. Discord was tying the strings of the balloons to the bedpost, but turned his attention to her, a confused expression on his face.

She smiled and placed the box in his hands, curling next to his side. He carefully removed the ribbon and let the top of the box hover up, smirking when he saw the uneven mixture of chocolate types. He gingerly grabbed the paper card inside and opened it.

The cover was simply a heart, messily drawn in crayon. Inside was just the simple message, _Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Discord. I know you're not a fan of the holiday, but I just wanted to show how much I love you_, written in ink.

A smile spread on his face as he read the message, and he set the chocolate and card aside to draw her into a tight hug, burying his muzzle into her mane.

"You're too sweet," he mumbled into her mane. She smiled and shifted so that she could snuggle closer to his chest. His arms tightened around her as he did this.

"I love you," she murmured back, rubbing at the back of his neck. He purred softly, nuzzling his cheek against the top of her head. She smiled, letting him pull her even closer to his chest.

* * *

After a long cuddling session, Discord had pulled out a set of blueprints, and was scribbling on them with a white pen, mumbling to himself about optimal temperatures and perfect drinks.

She sighed, eating another one of the chocolates he'd given her. Orange and strawberry. "Discord...you'd better not be making a separate room just to eat that chocolate."

He froze, his eyes glazing over as he glanced over at her. "...I _might_ not be?" he said with a sheepish grin.

She shook her head. "Really, Discord. Please, you don't have to do it right away, but...don't make such a huge production of eating it."

"But it's a gift from you! How can I eat it without giving it the proper respect it deserves, without—"

She grabbed the chocolate and shoved it into his open mouth. His eyes widened, but he took a large bite out of the chocolate, pouting.

"That's cheating," he grumbled with his mouth full. She simply smirked at him. He smirked back. "I guess I am a bad influence on you," he said, ruffling her mane. She whined in protest, playfully pushing him away.

He took another bite out of the chocolate. "This is really good," he said, again with his mouth full. She beamed and kissed his cheek.

He grinned, tossing his chocolate onto the nightstand. He snapped his fingers, and the curtains suddenly drew closed, candles appeared in midair and lighting the room with their soft glow. He placed a hand at the back of her neck and drew her into a deep kiss, tossing the bedsheets aside as he curled closer to her.

She placed her box of chocolates on the nightstand, then wrapped both of her forelegs around his torso and began to trail kisses down his cheek, until she reached his lips. He groaned as she kissed him passionately, curling his tail around her waist and kissing the nape of her neck lightly.

She sighed, pressing closer against him. They were soon deep in the throws of passion, where they remained for the rest of the morning.


	12. Beach Day

The sun was beating down on Discord's back. He wiped the sweat off of his brow, his tongue rolling out as he panted heavily. Hot, white sand burned at his hoof and toes. With herculean strength, he brought his fingers together to snap.

With a flash of light, he created two towels (one pony-sized, yellow, and covered in butterflies, and a longer one with a neon and pastel quilted pattern) a large purple-and-pink parasol, and a sky-blue cooler. He sighed and laid down on the patchwork towel, adjusting the parasol so both towels had an equal amount of shade.

As he started to rummage in the cooler, he heard hoofsteps approach and lifted his head. Fluttershy sat down on her towel, a sweet smile on her face, even as she carried a small cloth bag in her mouth. She was wearing a teal tankini, a two-piece swimsuit that covered more of her fur than a bikini.

A pink blush formed on his cheeks, and his claw reached up to grab at his beating heart. She was _adorable._ He hid his head in the fridge, rummaging around before pulling out two bottled ice teas, his heated face cooled off. "Care for a cool drink, my dear?"

She smiled, setting down her bag. "Not right now, thank you. And thank you for setting everything up!" She looked around the beach. "This is a great spot!"

He opened up a bottle of tea and took a long drink. "I still think it's a little hot for a beach day," he said. "And that's probably why it's so empty here."

She smiled. "Hot days like this are the best time to go swimming! The water is cool and fresh, and them you can dry off in the sun..." She smiled, her eyes glittering as her mind drifted away on the waves in her thoughts.

He chuckled. "I guess you're going to go swimming now, then?"

"Yes, but first..." She reached into her cloth bag and pulled out a bright yellow tube with a pink cap. "Sunscreen!" She squeezed a little on her hoof, and began rubbing the white goo into her coat.

She handed the bottle to Discord, working her way up her torso. He squeezed a heap of the goop into his paw, globbing into onto her back. A shudder traveled down her spine. He began to gently rub the sunscreen around on her back and shoulders, being especially careful as he rubbed it onto her wings.

"Thank you, Discord," she said as she dabbed some trace amounts onto her face. "Do you need any help putting it on?"

He waved her off. "Oh, no need for that. I can do anything, remember? Even reach all parts of my body. You just run along and have a nice swim." A pair on sunglasses appeared on his face. "I'll join you in a little. I just have to chill here first."

She giggled, and raced towards the deep blue ocean waters. He watched as she dove in, happily paddling around. With a smile, he took off his sunglasses and turned away, focusing his magic on the tube of sunscreen.

He pointing it straight up and squeezed. A fountain of sunscreen shot straight up, before slowly wrapping around him, tightening and spreading evenly across his skin. He capped the tube and tossed it back in her bag, leaning back as his sunglasses floated back over his eyes.

The sand underneath his towel piled up underneath his head so that he could relax and watch the beach at the same time. He spied Fluttershy's bright yellow coat in the water as she rapidly swam through the waves, chasing a school of silver fish. Every so often, she lifted her head above the water, a wide smile on her face.

His gaze drifted towards other parts of the beach. He hadn't been kidding when he said the beach wasn't busy. There were only a few families around, plus a small group of teenage ponies goofing off in the waves. Most families were at nearby picnic tables, setting out food.

He noticed that one kid, a unicorn, was making a large and elaborate sand castle. He also noticed that it was fairly close to the water, as the kid grabbed more wet sand in his magic to build with. The waves were creeping ever closer to his creation.

With a sigh, he snapped his fingers. He got onto his feet and stretched, feeling much cooler than a few minutes ago.

He rushed for the water, diving in with a splash next to Fluttershy. She shielded herself with her hooves, laughing. "Discord! There's a coral reef here!" she happily told him.

He stuck his head under the water, keeping his eyes open. Sure enough, there was a coral reef, filled with vibrant colors and teeming with life. He pulled his head back out. "Shall we get a closer look?" he asked, pulling a packet of mints out of a pocket in his fur.

He popped one mint into his mouth and offered the container to Fluttershy. "Breath mints," he explained, giving the box a rattle. "C'mon, let's go exploring!" She held out her hooves, and he shook a mint into them. Dropping the box back into the pocket, he dove beneath the water.

The mint in his mouth was fizzy and tingly. He took a deep breath, and instead of water, minty air poured into his lungs. Fluttershy's head slowly sank beneath the surface, looking at him. He took an exaggerated breath, gesturing towards her. Her nose twitched as she took a tiny breath, and her eyes widened. A large grin spread on his face, and he dove deeper, closer to the coral.

With a beat of her wings, she was at his side, right above the coral. The two swam slowly over, spooking some schools of fish, watching crabs scurry about, and seeing how turtles drifted by lazily. Discord noticed a coral with a hole under it and poked his head near it. The two moray eels inside glared at him. He pulled away and caught up with Fluttershy.

She appeared to be making friends with a large stringray. She carefully stroked its back as it swam away, searching the sands for food. She watched it go, but her smile fell when her eyes focused on something else. He followed her gaze.

Stuck between two branches of coral was some kind of bottle. She swam towards it, a sad look on her face. She tried to wriggle it out, but had no luck. He snapped his fingers, and the bottle was teleported into her hooves.

She pointed to the surface, then swam up. He followed. Once they were in the open air, she held the bottle out. The label had worn off. "Coral's really delicate," she told him. "And this sort of thing never goes away. It only breaks into smaller pieces." She frowned. "Who knows how much damage this trash could do to this reef, or those sweet creatures..."

He frowned, eyes narrowing at the bottle. He snapped his fingers. The bottle shivered, hovering in the air in a purple aura. A few seconds later, splashes came from all around them, other bottles and wrappers lifted up in the same purple aura. One by one, they all disappeared with a soft popping sound.

"I sent them to our dimension. One of the junk rooms," he said when she gave him a questioning look. "That should take care of all the trash here. Oh, and for good measure..." He snapped again, and the water all around them rippled.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Oh, just an enchantment to make sure the reef _stays_ trash-free." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the teenage ponies heading away from the water and to their towels. One tossed an empty bottle over his shoulder, talking with his friends. The bottle hit the surface of the water.

Instead of splashing in and sinking, like it would have done, it instead _bounced._ It flew away from the water, cuffing the litterbug on the back of his head. While he whipped around, looking for the offender, the bottle traveled forward, neatly landing in a recycling bin.

Discord snickered, then dove beneath the surface again. He and Fluttershy explored the reef, meeting more eels, a few octopi, and even a small shark! They waved the shark goodbye as it peacefully swam away, and he brushed his tongue against his mint. Realizing how thin it was, he pointed upwards, and they paddled up to the surface.

Fluttershy crawled onto the beach, flopping down on the hot sand. Discord fell beside her, his limbs turning into bundles of noodles as they spread out.

"Discord?" she said quietly. "Do you want to build a sand castle? I'm not hungry enough for lunch yet."

He nodded, the noodles condensing and returning to his normal limbs. His tail feathers snapped, and a bucket and shovel appeared in front of each of them. She managed to lift herself into a sitting position, and began shoveling damp sand into her bucket.

"We'll carry these further up the beach, so the waves can't get our castle," she said. He glanced over at the unicorn colt, who pranced excitedly around his detailed sand castle, which the water was parting to avoid. A smile flickered over his face, and he began to fill his own bucket with sand.

They worked together to build a towering castle, three buckets tall and two buckets wide. They filled in the empty spaces, and Discord used his claws to carve a brick pattern along the sides, adding a set of doors and several windows. Fluttershy dug out a moat (complete with a sand bridge) and filled it with some sea water.

As a finishing touch, Discord pulled a small flag out of thin air. It was red, and had a picture of him with one arm wrapped around Fluttershy, the other throwing up a peace sign. He held it out to Fluttershy, and both of them stuck it in the top together—slightly off-center, and slightly crooked. He turned to her and beamed.

She beamed back, but blushed slightly as her stomach gurgled. He chuckled. "I suppose that means it's time for lunch?" he teased. She nudged his shoulder, grinning, and trotted towards their towels.

She lay down, sighing as she curled her back legs into the shade. He snapped his fingers, summoning a fan next to her, and she sighed in bliss.

He smiled, then stuck his head in the cooler, fishing around in the heaps of ice. Several ice cubes were tossed over his shoulder as he searched. Finally, he found a smallish pink bundle. He grabbed it and emerged from the ice area, showing his prize off to Fluttershy.

She sat up, and he placed the bundle on top of the cooler. With a flourish, he undid the bundle's knot, and it flew off somewhere behind him before disappearing in a flash of light. On top of the cooler were two large watermelon slices (one seed-free, another heavily seeded), two bottles of ice tea, and two orange popsicles (still in their wrappers).

She grinned and grabbed the seed-free watermelon, taking a large bite. Discord took the other and began working his way evenly down the length, back and forth.

After a few minutes of quiet munching, she spoke up. "Do you like watermelon seeds, Discord?"

He chuckled (mostly because of the red liquid on her chin she hadn't noticed yet). "Oh, they're alright. There are better seeds to snack on, in my opinion." He took another bite. "But I'm not eating these, actually. I'm...saving them."

She gave him a puzzled look, her head tilting slightly in that adorable manner. He pursued his lips and looked around the beach, searching for a demonstration. His eyes landed on the teenage ponies. One, the same pony who tossed the bottle, was about to step on a tiny sand castle, carefully but crudely crafted by tiny hooves.

Rolling his tongue, he spat out a seed. It smacked the teen's hoof, making him jump up and away from the castle. One of his friends laughed at him. Another seed was spat, striking him on the forehead and making him stumble backwards.

He snickered as the group looked around, trying to find the source. "Discord, that's not very nice," she said, her tone holding a hint of harshness.

He turned to face her. "Hey, I saved some foal's creation! Besides, the seeds don't actually hurt. It's just like using a rubber band." He spat a seed at his own arm, remaining unmoving as it bounced off of him. "See?" She seemed unconvinced. He sighed. "May I show you...well, how it feels to be on the receiving end?"

She hesitated, but nodded and held out a front hoof. Rolling his tongue, he spat a seed. She jumped slightly as it bounced off of her, but by the look on her face, it was more out of surprise then anything. She looked at her front hoof, then back at him.

She sighed. "It seems kind of mean...but if it doesn't hurt anypony, I suppose..." She narrowed her eyes at him. "But no hitting foals! Or anypony's eye!" He nodded, making a swift crossing motion over his heart.

They continued eating their watermelons, though Discord spat seeds at a few litterbugs or ponies who didn't look out for sand castles. Minutes passed by, and Fluttershy set down her rind, a hoof placed over her stomach. He summoned a small napkin and handed it to her, which she quietly thanked him for before cleaning her mouth and hooves.

He polished off his melon and rind, then reached for a popsicle. Her hoof stopped his hand, and he lifted his head up to look at her. Before he knew it, she had placed the napkin on his mouth and was wiping at his muzzle. He pulled away, grinning, and she followed, also grinning.

They tumbled in the sand as she tried to pin him down, dropping the napkin in the process. He spat a few seeds at her, several of them missing her, and she laughed. After a few seconds of struggle, they may beside each other in the sand, laughing. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She pouted and tried to wipe the sticky red liquid off of her head, but only succeeded in smearing sand into it.

He chuckled and waved his paw. The sand and juice on both of their coats trickled down and off. He offered her his hand as he got back onto his feet, and the two went back to their towels and nibbled on their popsicles.

* * *

The sun was now much lower in the sky. After lunch, they'd added a tiny garden to their sand castle, before diving in the water and exploring the reef and nearby caves. Fluttershy taught him a few games ponies played at beaches, while he used his magic to create interesting new toys for the water.

From a cannon that shot a ball of water (which she actually managed to catch him off-guard with in a sneak attack) to a surfboard that sped through water by itself (and made her cling to him the whole time they were on it), he had come up with some interesting ideas, which he filed away for another beach trip.

As they swam, time quickly sped by. Ponies slowly filtered out of the beach, until they were the only two left. They had crawled back to their towels and were leaning against each other, watching the orange sun slowly sink below the horizon.

"Discord?," he heard her say quietly. His head tilted down to look at her. "Thank you for today. I know you weren't sure about coming to the beach, but I had a lot of fun." She softly pecked his lips. "Thank you for indulging me."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I had fun today, too. Thank you for convincing me to do this." He whispered in her ear, "Besides, I'm your husband. Indulging you is my _job."_

She giggled and kissed him on the cheek before snuggling into his side, leaning even closer against him to watch the sunset. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her, looking around for the first stars to appear.


	13. Autumn Arguments

"It really was nice of you to arrange this," Fluttershy said, taking a drink of her apple cider. She smiled and looked around the orchard, relaxing in the shade of a gazebo.

Discord leaned back in his chair an took a large bite of his apple. "Well, it's pretty hot for an autumn day. I had to think of _some_ way to convince you to take a break and cool off." He pulled a jug of cider out of the picnic basket between them and topped off Fluttershy's glass.

"Thank you," she said, looking around the orchard and taking another sip. "There are still a lot of apples around this area. I hope Applejack and Big Mac aren't having any trouble with the harvest."

Discord shrugged. "Well, it is just the beginning of Applebuck Season. They probably just haven't gotten this far back yet."

"Hmm. That's true." As she took another sip of cider, a rainbow streak flew overhead. A sudden gust of wind followed, knocking her drink and his snack out of their grips. Both of their heads whipped in the direction of the rainbow streak, seeing that it was still headed straight forward, and going even faster.

"Was that Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked, getting to her hooves. "She was going awfully fast. Do you think something's wrong?"

"No doubt," he said. "We should check on her." He raised his fingers into a snapping position, but before he could snap, a sound in the distance made him pause, his ears perked up. A sound of somepony quickly galloping, followed by said somepony bucking something with great force.

"That must be Applejack," he said. A detective's hat appeared on his head, a bubble pipe popping into his mouth. He closed his eyes and blew a large bubble before saying, "From the fact that Rainbow left here in a hurry, and AJ is working at a greater pace then normal, as though she is _angry...I_ deduce that the two of them have gotten into some kind of fight. Again."

A hoof flew to Fluttershy's mouth. "Oh dear...should we talk to them?"

He shrugged, sitting back down in his chair. "We could. Or we could just let them deal with it, and they'll stop fighting in a few weeks." He blew a stream of heart-shaped bubbles. "Honestly, if I wasn't there for their wedding, I'd find it hard to believe they're married."

"They've always been very independent ponies," she said, "And I sometimes think that competing and bickering is their way of...showing affection for each other. But sometimes, their arguments can go too far." She sighed. "I really think we should check on them, to make sure they're okay."

He nibbled at the end of his pipe. "You're right. We can at least ask if they need help." He tapped at his chin. "We should probably split up. That way, we can get both sides of the story and help both of them at once."

She nodded in agreement. "But who should talk to who?"

He pulled a coin out of his ear. One one side was an apple, or the other was a cloud. "I'll flip this, and whichever side it lands on is the pony I'll talk to. You can take the other." He flicked it into the air, and their eyes followed as it spun and spun, higher and higher into the air.

* * *

Rainbow flew through several clouds, bursting all of them into tiny white fluff. Realizing she had cleared the sky, she turned at a ninety-degree angle with an angry snort, flying for more clouds to destroy.

A sudden flash of light several feet in front of her made her brake in midair. She blinked the spots out of her eyes, squinting at the wiseguy who thought it was a good idea to teleport in front of her. She blinked.

"...Fluttershy?" she said questioningly with a small tilt of her head. "What are you doing here?"

Fluttershy smiled and flew closer to her. "Discord and I were at Sweet Apple Acres. You flew off in a hurry, so I was worried...are you upset about something, Rainbow?"

Rainbow snorted. "Upset? Of course not! What reason would I have to be upset? Everything's going [i]just fine[/i] in my dream career with the Wonderbolts!" she snapped. "So why don't you fly back and act all sickeningly sweet with your husband on whatever date you were on?"

Fluttershy's eyes didn't narrow, but they did gain a hardness to them, a kind of inner fire. "Rainbow Dash," she said calmly. "All I want is to help you. If you don't want to talk, that's fine. But there's no need to take your anger out on me."

"Anger? Who's angry? I'm not angry! I'm...I'm..." Rainbow sighed, her shoulders drooping. "Okay, fine. I can tell you what's up." She flew over to a nearby cloud and plopped down. Fluttershy sat by her side.

Rainbow sighed. "See, I've been offered a chance to go on an extended trip with the Wonderbolts. Only the best flyers we have were chosen to go, and we're going to be visiting places outside of Equestria! Yakyakistan, the Dragon Lands, Griffonstone..." She shook her head, blinking the stars out of her eyes.

"But it's a long trip. Several months, in fact," she said, "But what does that matter when it's one of the greatest performing opportunities of my life? Of course I took the offer! Why wouldn't I?"

She crossed her forehooves. "So I went to tell AJ about the big news. I thought she'd be happy for me, but no! She got mad! She kept going on about the farm and the harvest, and how could I leave at a time like this!" She huffed. "So right now, I refuse to see her! I'll leave on my trip and not even set a hoof on that farm, I can promise you that!"

She opened her eyes as Fluttershy gently touched her shoulder. "I don't think that's a good idea," she said. "Are you sure you don't want to talk with Applejack again? This time, more calmly?"

* * *

Applejack grunted, striking another tree with her legs. She'd lost count on which one this was. Fortunately, buckets had been set under most of the trees already, since the next rain wasn't scheduled anytime soon. Without worrying about grabbing more buckets, she could put all of her energy into bucking as many trees as she could.

"Going for a record, AJ? You seem to be really pushing yourself today!" a voice to her left chimed. She turned and glared at the voice's owner: Discord. He was casually picking apples off of their branches and lobbing them into buckets.

"What do you want, Discord?" she sighed. "Ah'm not going to be working near the gazebo, if that's what you've come to ask."

He sighed, dropping the apple he was holding. "No, actually. Fluttershy and I thought...well, that you seemed upset. Something the matter? Problems on your mind?" A small, rumbling black cloud appeared above her head. "Having a bad day?"

She grunted and waved away the cloud. "Look, Discord, Ah'm fine. You don't need to worry about me." She bucked another tree. "Ah've just...got to buck as many of these apples as Ah can. No time to talk."

"Ah, but you're talking right now," he said, picking another apple and admiring his reflection in his skin. "You can work and talk at the same time. Besides, while I'm here, I'll even give you a hand!" Disembodied paws and claws popped into existence and began floating around, plucking off apples and dropping them into baskets. "So c'mon. What's on your mind? You're worrying...Fluttershy." He glanced away and said quietly, "And me."

She stared at him. "Alright. Ah can tell you what happened." She bucked another tree. "Rainbow and Ah had a little bit of a row just now. She accepted an offer to go off traveling with the Wonderbolts. Well, good for her!"

She bucked the next tree a little harder. "Except she'll be leaving for six months! Six! And she acts like that...that doesn't matter, compared to the opportunity!"

The next tree's trunk shook from the force of her blow. "Leaving for six months, when we need her here! There's harvest, and cider-making, and planting in the spring...and she's just leaving us in the lurch!"

She sighed and slumped down, dropping her hat over her face. Discord stepped a little closer. "...Is that the real reason you're upset?"

* * *

Rainbow glared. "What do you mean, 'more calmly'? I wasn't mad until AJ started spouting crazy stuff about me leaving the farm too long! Winter isn't even that busy a time!"

Fluttershy sighed. "What I mean is that instead of getting angry, you should stay calm and listen to Applejack. I don't mean just listening to what she's saying, but...understanding what she's trying to say."

Rainbow rose an eyebrow, her eyes narrowed. Fluttershy continued, "It's hard to explain, but it's something I learned when I first befriended Discord. Sometimes, creatures don't want to open up with you. They'll tell you half-truths, or direct the conversation to something else..."

"They don't want to show how much you mean to them," she whispered, her gaze becoming unfocused. "Because they're worried, or scared."

She shook her head. "But if you listen closely, you can figure put what they're trying to say—what they really want to say. Think about it: if the farm doesn't need you during the winter, why is she upset you'll be gone?"

Rainbow's eyes slowly widened. "I...I have to talk to AJ!" she exclaimed before taking off, leaving a rainbow streak behind her. Fluttershy sighed and slowly followed behind her.

* * *

Applejack glared at Discord. "What other reason would Ah have for being upset that my wife is leaving for six months?"

He leaned down, bearing his teeth and jabbing her muzzle with a finger. "You said it yourself," he growled. "Your wife is leaving for six months, and you're upset that she'll be away. Why can't you just mare up and admit that to her?"

She snorted and pulled away. "In case you haven't noticed, we're not sappy-sweet like you and Fluttershy. And we certainly don't keep acting like newlyweds after several years of marriage."

He sighed. "I'm not saying you have to be _sappy_ about it. I'm just saying it wouldn't kill you two to act like you're married and you love each other." He crossed his arms and turned away, but glanced back a second later. "Are Fluttershy and I really that...'sappy'?"

"Sometimes. Not that often," she said with a sigh. "Ah'm sorry, Discord. Ah'm just frustrated is all. Ah didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Oh, I've faced worse," he said, waving her off. He leaned against the tree, looking her in the eyes. "But you should probably talk to Rainbow Dash. Tell her why you're really upset."

Seeing her doubting expression, he continued, "Look. As a draconequus who has both faced troubles with admitting my true feelings, and doubts about whether a pony you care about really, truly cares about you...saying that you care means the world."

"It doesn't banish doubts right away. It won't fix your problems. But if you tell them often enough, with enough conviction...they might just start to believe you." His eyes became glazed with a thin, milky film. Her could see images dancing in his pupils—most of them involving Fluttershy.

He blinked, and the film and images vanished. "Anyway. You don't have to be 'sappy-syrup-sweet' about it." A bottle of syrup appeared in his paw, which he took a sip out of before continuing. "Just tell her the real problem, and you can at least start working on a real solution."

A thud from nearby caught their attention. Rainbow Dash had landed a few feet away, an anxious look on her face. "AJ!" she exclaimed. "I...can we talk about my trip, again? I can help you with the harvest while we talk."

Applejack was quiet for a moment, but then shook her head. "Forget the harvest for one second. Let's talk in the barn. I...I have some things to say." She trotted towards the old wooden building. Rainbow quickly followed her.

Discord dropped the syrup bottle and snapped up a pair of binoculars, scanning the sky. He quickly spotted Fluttershy, slowly flying closer. With a snap of his fingers, she appeared at his side.

"Thank you," she said, looking around. She saw the couple headed towards the barn. "Are they..."

"Making up now, I'd say," he said. Applejack laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder for a second. Rainbow laid her muzzle on top of her head, spreading a wing over her back. The gesture lasted just a second before they pulled away, continuing on their path.

"Probably the fastest they've ever made up," he said. With a wave of his paw, the disembodied hands around them vanished in puffs of yellow smoke, and every apple in the row they stood in fell into the buckets below.

She grabbed his paw. "Well, they do still need to talk about Rainbow's trip, but I think this conservation will go much more smoothly."

His grip tightened around her hoof. "How long do you think it'll take for them to remember they have a friend that can either teleport them back and forth or set up instantaneous communications?" he mused.

"You can bring it up yourself later," she said, "But we should probably let them figure this situation out on their own first." She nuzzled his arm, lightly tugging him back towards the gazebo. He kicked off the ground and followed her back into the shade.


	14. Winter Wonderland

Winter in Ponyville. A time when the air grew cold and snow lined the ground. Animals migrated away or hibernated, while ponies chose to stay inside their warm, cozy houses.

Discord glanced at the frosted window as he tied a third scarf around his beloved Fluttershy. Chaosville knew no seasons, or any weather aside from which he decided should exist. He tried to convince his lovely pegasus that he could create any snow she wanted, even warm snow, but she declined. She insisted that they go to her old cottage to play in the cold, wet, normal Equestrian snow.

_Well,_ he thought as he slid a thick hat on top of her head. _I refuse to allow my sweetheart to feel too cold!_

He stepped back for a second to admire his handiwork. Fluttershy was bundled in a sky-blue coat and bright pink snowpants. She had large, fuzzy green boots on her hooves, and thick, white knitted wing bling on her wings. He had given her three scarves, two hats, and a set of earmuffs. He smiled and clasped his hands together. "Ready to go, my dear?"

She narrowed her eyes at him—the only visible part of her—and shook off the scarves and hats. "What are you doing?" he asked. "You need those to stay warm!" He picked them up and approached her, but she held up a hoof to stop him.

"It's not that cold, Discord. You don't need to coddle me," she told him. "Look. I'll wear one scarf and the earmuffs." She wrapped one of said scarves back around her neck. "But I don't need _three_ scarves or the hats. I actually don't need the wing bling or pants, either..." With a bit of wriggling, she removed said articles of clothing.

He pouted a little. "But you could catch a cold!" She sighed and gave him a stern look.

"Discord, I've spent plenty of time outside in winter before I even met you. I am fully capable of handling myself. You know that."

He frowned and scuffed at the carpet with his goat hoof. "...I know. I'm sorry. I just...want to keep you safe."

She flew up and hugged him, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I know you do. And it's very sweet of you. But you have to understand that I know what I can and can't handle." She nuzzled him, and began to point to the discarded clothing articles.

"I've never flown well in wing bling, especially heavy, thick material. I don't know where you got the idea of those pants from, but I'm not sure I could move well in them. And you'd put so many scarves on me, I'm not sure I'd have been able to talk with you."

He blinked. "Oh. I see. May I...at least enchant your coat? Make it a little warmer, without altering the material?" She paused, but then nodded. He snapped his fingers, and the coat started to generate a small heat field.

She smiled. "Thank you. Are you ready to go?" He snapped his fingers, and a multicolored scarf wrapped around his neck. She looked at the single article and rose an eyebrow, but trotted over to the door. "Okay. It's time to have some winter fun!"

She flung open her door and plunged into the snow. With a laugh, she began tromping around in her backyard, creating hoofprints in the snow. He chuckled and jogged to catch up with her as she tried to catch a snowflake on her tongue.

His own tongue snapped out, stretching out with his magic and grabbing one just before it landed on her tongue. She pulled her tongue back in her mouth and glared at him. He could see her fighting to stop herself from smiling.

He smirked. "What? I had to do a taste test to make sure these snowflakes are good enough for you!" He smacked his lips. "Mmm. Could use more sugar."

He jumped when something cold and wet hit him in the side of his head. He whipped around he saw that Fluttershy had packed together some snowballs and was tucking them into her tail. A gleam was visible in her eyes.

He grinned. "Oh? Is this a challenge, Mrs. Chaos?" She smirked and whipped her tail, sending the snowball flying at his face. He bent over backwards, his spine turning into rubber, and he watched the snowball sail over him.

He snapped back into place. "Ah, I see how it is." With that, he dove into the snowdrift and began tunneling underneath her.

When he found where she approximately was, he stopped and grinned. He dug at the snow underneath her, turning it into a soft pile of powder, and only leaving a thin layer on top. He backed away from his pitfall trap, and then struck the thin layer with his tail.

The snow quickly crumbled away, and Fluttershy fell into the hole with a shriek, some snowballs falling out of her tail. She lifted herself from the soft snow pile, some white powder still on her nose.

"Hi, sweetheart," he cooed, dusting snow off of her. "I know I'm good, but I didn't think you'd fall for me again." He pecked her lightly on the lips.

She snorted, trying to stop her laughter, and threw one of her dropped snowballs at his face. It landed on his cheek, but he only laughed and burst out of the snow, flying towards a snowdrift in the distance. She flung a barrage of snowballs at his retreating backside, many of which managed to hit him.

He ducked behind his snowdrift and packed snowballs as fast as he could. With an armful, he whipped around and began flinging them haphazardly in her direction. Most of them missed, but he was throwing so many of them (and making more with his tail) that he was still hitting her with quite a few.

The attack forced her to duck low to the ground and dig a small hole for herself, pushing snow forward to make a small wall. He leapt over the snowdrift, holding a large boulder of a snowball to attack with, but three snowballs to the face made him drop it and retreat to his drift.

For the next minutes, their interactions consisted of thrown snowballs, teasing taunts, and the kisses he would cheerfully blow at her to make her giggle and lose concentration. Neither of them was able to get close to the others' defensive spot without getting hit with a barrage of snowballs.

Discord lay with his back against the drift, forming a mountain of snowballs while checking over his shoulder every so often. _Distracting her is fun, but it's not enough, _he mused_. Teleportation would make this an easy win, but that'd just take the fun out of this._

He lifted the pile of snowballs with his magic. "An all-out attack, though...effective _and_ fun," he said aloud. Carefully, he peered over the top of his drift, searching for the sign of a blue jacket in her little hidey-hole. He couldn't see anything besides the white snow. He stood up a little taller, leaning a little closer. Still no sign of her. "Where..."

"Yaaah!" He whipped around, just in time to be hit by snowballs from head to toe. Fluttershy had burst from the snow behind him, and was flinging as many snowballs as her tail and hooves could hold. He slumped to the ground, half-covered in snow.

She approached him, snagging some ammunition from his pile. "Do you surrender?" she asked. He swiftly nodded, waving a small white flag. "Alright. There's just one thing I ask for in your surrender..." He gulped.

She leaned forward. "A-A k-kiss," she stammered, her face turning pink. He resisted the urge to grab her cheeks and gush about how adorable she was, and sat up to lightly kiss her on the lips.

That wasn't enough, apparently, as she grabbed his cheeks and pressed their lips closer together. He smiled and obliged, gently moving his mouth and increasing the pressure of the kiss. By the time they pulled away, panting, he was cupping her chin, and she was practically laying on his chest.

She smiled. "Thank you, Discord. I don't think I've ever had a snowball fight that fun!"

He brushed some snow out of her mane. "Well, you certainly looked like you were having fun. Clever girl, using my own trick against me." She blushed.

She crawled off of him, shaking the snow off of her coat. "Do you want to build a snowpony?" she asked. "If the snow's good for snowballs, it should be good for building other things."

He smiled. "That sounds delightful. But if this is one of those pony childhood things, you might have to help me out. I'm...not exactly an expert in that sort of stuff."

She smiled. "Well, the way we need to start is to first make a snowball. Now, here's the hard part: don't throw it at me."

"Oops," he said with a smirk, lightly tossing the snowball he'd made at her. She giggled.

"Well, once you make the snowball, you have to roll it around to make it really big. As big as you can!" He obliged, pushing the second small snowball he had made along the ground. Eventually, it reached the point where it was difficult for him to move without magic. He lifted his hand, prepared to give it a little magic shove, but Fluttershy came up beside him and began pushing the ball with him.

After a few more minutes of that, they made a ball a little shorter than Fluttershy, and were unable to push it any further. "That should be good enough," she told him. "Now, some ponies like to actually carve out legs, but I normally do a simpler style of packing snow around the bottom until it's less round and more...like a hill, I guess. Can you do that while I work on the head?"

He nodded, and started shoving snow up against the lump. Every so often, he glanced over at Fluttershy, who was rolling another ball of snow of the ground not too far off, this time rolling it into a more oval shape. Just as he was finishing, she rolled it back over to him.

"Can you help me lift this?" He nodded, scooped up the head, and plopped it on top of the pile. She flew up and adjusted it so that it was on straight, patting some more snow on top of it. She began using her hooves to mold it, making the snout narrower and the rest of the head rounder. Discord helped by sculpting small, triangular ears on top.

"And now, all we need to do is add the eyes!" she cheerfully told him. "Most ponies use coal, or buttons...what should we do?" He stroked his beard, deep in thought.

His head transformed into a light bulb, and he snapped his fingers. Two large peppermints appeared in his hands. "Would these work?"

She nodded. "Let's finish them together." He handed her one of the peppermints, and they both placed them on at the same time. They took a step back to admire their handiwork.

Discord frowned. "I don't know...it looks nice, but something's missing."

"Hmm." Fluttershy's face lit up. "Oh! Of course! They need a friend!" She began to roll up another ball of snow. He smiled and joined her, taking an opportunity or three to lean against her shoulder.

After a few more minutes of working, the snowpony had a new friend with chocolate chip cookies for eyes. "There. It's perfect," she said as they looked at their work.

He tilted his head. The ears he made were mismatched in size, the bodies were strange lumps with clearly visible handprints, and the eyes were probably going to be stolen by some passing foals sooner or later. He glanced over at Fluttershy's smiling face. "Yeah...it is," he said, slowly draping his arm over her shoulder.

As he nuzzled the top of her head, he noticed something. "You're mane's cold," he murmured after pulling away.

She reached up and brushed a hoof through it. "Huh. It is."

"You're not too cold, are you?" he asked, rubbing at her shoulders. She shook her head.

"No. That enchantment is working wonderfully." She smiled. "I think we can fit in a sled ride before I get too cold. That is, if you're up for—" He had already summoned a large wooden sled and was bouncing up and down on his feet. She stifled a laugh. "Alright. Let's go find a nice hill."

It only took about a minute of searching to spot a tall hill with next to no trees on its slope, completely covered with thick, fluffy snow. As soon as it was in Discord's line of sight, he teleported the two of them up to the top.

He dropped the sled down on the ground and took a seat, grabbing onto the thin twine that acted as reins. Fluttershy carefully crawled onto the contraption, settling herself in between his arms and leaning back against his chest. She smiled up at him, and he used his tail to push them over the edge.

It was a thrilling ride down to the bottom. The wind rushed through their manes, making Discord tear up a bit from its sting. Fluttershy shrieked when the wind first hit them, but was soon laughing and letting it push her against his torso. All too soon, they began to slow down as they reached the bottom.

He smiled and ruffled her mussed mane. "That was fairly short," he remarked. "Do you think we can squeeze in one or two more?"

She paused, thinking about it. "Oh, a few more wouldn't hurt," she decided. He grinned and snapped his fingers, teleporting them back to the top.

After three more rides down, she tapped lightly at his chest. "My wings feel kind of numb," she said. "We should probably go inside."

In a flash, they appeared in her old cottage. A roaring fire sprung up in the fireplace, a comfy couch pulling itself up next to it. All of her winter garb carefully peeled itself away from her body and hung itself above some kind of rug/sponge hybrid. Discord floated over to the couch and flopped down, sprawling out with a sigh.

Fluttershy laid down and snuggled up next to him. "I think there's just one more thing we need to complete this winter fun trip," she murmured.

He looked down at her. "My dear Fluttershy, you must warm up before you even think of going back out!"

She shook her head and nestled into his fur. "No, no. We don't need to go back out. All we need is some hot chocolate and peanut butter crackers. And maybe a nice blanket."

He snapped his fingers. In a flash of light, mugs full of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows appeared in their hooves and hands, a large plate of peanut butter crackers floated beside them, and a thick red blanket fell on top of them.

"Thank you, Discord," she said, taking a sip of her cocoa. "This is nice." She shifted slightly, curling closer to him.

He chuckled. "When we're warmed up, we can do this again. We could make an army of snowponies to fight for us in our snowball fight! We could go ice skating! We could go sledding down an even higher hill! We—" Fluttershy yawned softly, snuggling into his fur.

"...We could rest and wait until tomorrow," he said, pulling the blanket further up over her. She smiled sleepily, and took another sip of her cocoa.


	15. Spring Blossoms

"Fluttershy, are you free today?" Discord suddenly asked after they had finished breakfast.

She blinked. "Yes, why?"

He grinned. "There's something I'd like to show you. How does a trip to the nation of Eastern unicorns sound?"

She tilted her head. "Is that where Mistmane is from?" He nodded. "I'm not sure, Discord...I've never been there, and they're far enough away that they might not know about you. Remember that vacation to Seaquestria?"

He flinched and bit his lip. "Yeah, that...that was not one of my top trips." He shook his head. "But their 'nation' is connected to Equestria, and they weren't isolating themselves when I was reformed. They should have heard about me by now."

She frowned, her brow furrowing. He sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Fluttershy, there's something happening there I really want to show you. I know you'll love it. I promise there will be no complications on this trip of ours, and that you will enjoy every second of it."

He held his paw out to her. "So...?"

"...Alright," she said, placing her hoof into his paw. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly something was obscuring her vision. "Discord!?"

"Just a blindfold!" he assured her. "Don't want to ruin the surprise!"

She sighed. "Just...tell me the next time you do that, please."

He slowly scooped her into his arms, holding her under her forelegs. "Sorry," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Do you still want to go? Please tell me you still want to go."

She sighed, reaching up with her hooves to lightly squeeze his arms. "Yes. Let's go." She heard him snap his fingers, and felt the air shift around her.

* * *

She took a deep breath. The air was humid, and filled with the perfume of flowers. Discord set her gently down on the ground, or rather, on a soft blanket. "Ready?" he whispered. She nodded.

He snapped his fingers, and the blindfold disappeared. She gasped.

In front of her was a large group of thin trees, each of them covered with soft pink flowers. As she watched, a soft gust of wind blew passed, causing several pink petals to drift down from the branches. "It's beautiful," she whispered. A petal landed on top of her nose, and her eyes crossed to stare at it.

Discord smiled, taking a seat next to her on the blanket. "I knew you'd like this," he said. "I found out about this during some light reading. The Eastern unicorns actually have a tradition of watching these cherry blossoms bloom each spring."

He leaned back on his hands. "It's not something I'd normally do, but it seemed right up your alley."

She leaned against his shoulder. "It's perfect. I love it. I love you." He smiled and scratched behind her ears.

* * *

She couldn't explain it, but she was entranced by the blooming flowers, watching them on the blanket, leaning against Discord's shoulder. After some time passed, she stood up and walked around the clearing, looking closer at the trees and the flowers, marveling at the small blossoms.

Every so often, groups of unicorns with curved horns would come near, glance around, then leave. Discord was quick to assure her that they were probably just looking for their own space to watch the blossoms, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was, well _him._ "They'd be running, not walking, if that was the case," he said with a chuckle. "This spot is pretty out of the way. Nopony's going to bother us."

He then took the opportunity to pin her against the trunk of one of the trees and press his mouth against hers. She sighed and let her eyes drift closed, returning the pressure of the kiss. His hands stroked against her cheeks, before drifting upwards and tangling her in mane.

They slowly pulled away from each other, breathing heavily. She smiled when she saw a number of petals had landed in his mane, and reached up with a hoof to brush them away.

Her stomach suddenly growled, causing her to blush. He chuckled and said, "I think we've let the time get away from us. Shall we try some Eastern cuisine?"

She smiled. "Alright. Have you ever had food from here?" She followed him as he started walking through the trees, glancing at a paper map every so often.

He shrugged. "I've seen some restaurants try to imitate the food from here. I know they sell boxes that are like packed lunches, and that they have sushi."

"I've never heard of that. What is it?"

"It's—" He froze, smile falling as he gulped. "Well, it's—most of it, anyway, is—raw fish. Usually served on rice."

She turned pale, and then a slight shade of green. "We don't have to get [i]that[/i]!" he quickly said, holding his arms in front of him. "And if that's all there is, we can find a vegetarian version, or I could just make some food myself!" He gently rubbed at her back. "You don't have to eat anything you feel uncomfortable about," he whispered, stroking her mane.

She swallowed, shaking her head. "I...I know. I'm fine. That just...caught me by surprise, that's all." After a few more seconds of him stroking her mane, watching her expression, he pulled away and looked at the map again.

After a few minutes of walking, they finally arrived at the edge of a town. It was mostly empty, and the few unicorns around stared at Discord, but didn't react otherwise. He spotted a stand with wrapped boxes almost as soon as they had arrived and rushed towards it, Fluttershy quickly following him.

"Are you wanting to buy a bento?" the unicorn said after he was done staring at Discord. "We're having a sale today on wares!"

"What's in them?" Fluttershy quickly asked.

"Well, they're all a bit different. The Vegan Lover has a carrot and cucumber sushi, and asparagus soba. The Sakura Special has cherries, rice and little cookies shaped like flowers. The Sweethearts Box has heart-shaped noodles and sushi—"

"Can we get a Sakura Special and Sweethearts Box, but with vegan sushi instead of regular?" Discord asked.

The vendor tapped at their chin. "Well...I can't really exchange anything between the boxes...I'd have stock for one, but not for the other..."

Discord sighed. "I'll buy the three you mentioned, then." Fluttershy glanced up at him as the vendor grabbed the boxes.

"Discord, we can't eat three of these. Especially not when one has..." She gulped.

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I have a plan." He handed a small pile of bits to the vendor, grabbed the boxes, and teleported the two of them back to their blanket. He unstacked the boxes, placing the Sweethearts Box and the Vegan Lover beside each other before snapping his fingers.

"Now we have one all-vegetarian Sweethearts Box," he said, opening it. Heart-shaped noodles in a red sauce sat next to heart-shaped rolls of rice, seaweed, carrot, and cucumber. "And one box with sushi, which you dislike, and asparagus, which I dislike," he said, sticking his tongue out. "It gets stuck on my fang."

"So, if we're not going to eat it...what do we do with it?" she asked.

"Do any of your little critters like fish or asparagus?" he asked, to which she nodded. "Well, there you go. I'll send this home and put it in the critter pantry. Maybe they can be little treats or something." He snapped his fingers, and the box disappeared in a flash of light.

He pushed the Sakura Special next to the other bento box and opened it. A pile of plump cherries was in one half, while the other contained tiny, flower-shaped cookies. He licked his lips and grabbed one of the cherries, popping it into his mouth, while she picked up the small wooden sticks in the other box and tried to grab a noodle. It slipped away from her every time she grabbed it.

"Those really aren't designed for hooves," he commented. "I guess that happens when everyone has magic. Need a hand?" She nodded and handed him the sticks. He twirled them around in his fingers for a bit until he was satisfied with his grip on them, and then grabbed a noodle.

"Open wide," he cooed. She giggled and opened her mouth, and he fed her the noodle.

"It's good!" she said. He smiled and fed her another noodle. She grabbed one of the cherries and held it out to him. Grinning, he opened his mouth, letting his tongue stretch out. She dropped the cherry onto his tongue, and he snapped it back into his mouth.

He grabbed a sushi and fed it to her. "This is delicious!" she said. He glanced at the next one he was about to feed her, and flicked it into his mouth instead.

"How else will I know how to make one?" he said with his mouth full, while she sent him a fake glare. She sighed and shook her head, popping one of the cherries in her mouth.

This continued for some time. Fluttershy managed to grab some noodles by using the sticks with both hooves, and the pasta was shoved messily into his mouth. He chuckled and licked the tomato sauce of the side of his mouth. She decided to just grab the sushi with her hoof to feed to him.

Before they knew it, they had fed each other everything but the cookies. Discord popped one in her mouth before biting into one himself. The cookies were crunchy, and very sweet. They kept grabbing and munching on the cookies as they watched the blossoms.

She reached into the box, only to find it empty. She glanced over at Discord, who was nibbling on the last cookie, half of it sticking out of his mouth. He looked over at her, then at the empty box, before smirking at her, raising an eyebrow cockily.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. He flinched in surprise, but his eyes slowly drifted closed with a sigh. But before he could return the pressure of the kiss, she quickly bit off the piece of cookie hanging out of his mouth and pulled back, happily munching on the treat.

Discord stared at her, then down at the half a cookie he had left. He sucked it into his mouth and munched on it, pouting. She pushed the boxes aside and shifted closer to him, draping a wing over his back as she leaned her head against his shoulder. He smiled and stroked her mane.

After a few more minutes of watching the blossoms, he sighed. "I could eat another one of those cookies."

She shifted closer to him, nuzzling into his fur. "They were pretty good. Are you going to pop us in some more?"

"Oh, maybe later," he said. "But right now, I think I know exactly where to find that sweet taste." She blinked and lifted her head to gaze at him. He quickly turned his head and pressed his lips against hers.

She sighed, letting her eyes drift closed. She reached up with a hoof to stroke his mane and hold him closer to her. His hand drifted from her mane to her chin, tilting her head upwards so he could deepen the kiss.

Slowly, his tongue slithered out of his mouth and ran against her lips. She shivered slightly as it went back and forth, slowly caressing each part of her lips. He slowly pulled his lips away from hers with a soft click, gently caressing her cheek. She smiled and nuzzled into his hand.

They turned back to the blossoms, still leaning against each other. "This really is lovely," she said after awhile. "Thank you for bringing me here."

He scratched behind her ear, making her coo lightly. "Well, of course," he murmured. "Seeing your face light up when seeing something like this is what I live for." Her face flushed a bright pink, and she flicked her ear to let some of her mane drape over her face.

"And seeing you flustered like this is the other thing I live for," he said with a chuckle. Her blush grew brighter, and she pushed his ribs playfully, prompting him to laugh and start poking her belly.

She giggled, trying to ward off the attack by tickling him with her feathers. He laughed, but kept up the assault on her sensitive stomach. They started rolling over each over on the blanket, trying to tickle the other more than they were being tickled.

Eventually, they fell on their backs, away from the other, gasping and giggling. They slowly calmed down, watching the petals on the branches above them drift away in the wind.

She must have nodded off at some point, because the next thing she knew, Discord had scooped her up in his arms, and the sun was much lower in the sky. "Maybe we can come back tomorrow," he said before teleporting back home.


	16. Catnip Craziness

Fluttershy hummed a merry tune as she unpacked her saddlebags. The sanctuary's pantry had been running low on carrots, so she had decided to restock on a little bit of everything. Discord was kind enough to make some foodstuffs for her, but she knew that some animals could be very picky—most of Angel's kids and grandkids had inherited his fussy appetite, though thankfully not his temper.

Yes, they could be picky about exactly where their carrots and salad ingredients were bought, and other animals needed very specific foods, to ensure they were getting all the vitamins and nutrients they needed. And sometimes, Discord just didn't understand what exactly each animal needed. He fully admitted this, and though he was willing to help with what he understood, as he once said,

"_Since you're the expert, I think you know what's best for your little critters." He helped with with her saddlebags and handed her a bulging coin purse. "Just don't let them overcharge you." He kissed her on the forehead and bid her goodbye as she flew through one of the portals._

She smiled at the memory, placing one of the last items on its shelf. The last thing left was a small, white cloth bag. She was about to put it away, but paused, and instead flew out the door with it.

She navigated the maze of hallways, before finally stopping and opening a frosted glass door with a golden cat painted on it. She opened the door and entered, a tiny bell ringing as the door swung shut behind her.

The room was full of kittens. Tiny kittens sleeping in soft cat beds, fluffy kittens eating out of metal bowls (the food slowly regenerating in front of hungry, waiting kittens), striped kittens scratching at wooden posts and patting at hovering toys, and some kittens chasing each other and wrestling on the carpeted floor.

All of their ears perked up as they heard the bell, and they turned to her. They immediately rushed towards her, mewling as they surrounded her hooves. As they cried for her attention, the cat flap in the wooden door on the other wall of the room opened, more kittens, and even some adult cats, pouring in the joining in the meowing chorus.

She smiled and opened the cloth bag. Several of the cats stood on their hind legs, stretching up to sniff at the package. She shook some of the greenish powder inside into her hoof, then scattered it onto the carpet.

The adults cats sniffed at the powder, and quickly began to roll around in the piles. Some of them seemed to become more energized, and chased some of the kittens around before rushing back through the cat flap.

Some of the kittens approached and sniffed at the powder. They wandered away, disinterested, some of them shooting Fluttershy a betrayed look before curling back up in their beds.

With a smile, she scratched a few of the relaxed cats behind their ears, stepping around them and walking through the wooden door with the cat flap. She felt the usual tingle against her skin that came when going through one of Discord's portals, and stepped into a porch-like area at the edge of the sanctuary.

The space was a relatively new addition, designed to be as open as possible, so that any stray cats were free to come and go as they pleased. The space consisted of a simple slanted roof, a simple wood wall with the door to the cat room, and a collection of cat beds, food bowls, and scratching posts. Sometimes, ponies would wander by, looking to adopt a pet.

But all the only creatures here now were a group of adult cats. She repeated what she had done in the cat room, sprinkling the powder onto the grass. The cats sniffed it and began to roll around, though some of the older ones looked disinterested. Still, she smiled, closed the bag, and turned back to the door.

She reached for the handle...except it wasn't there. Where there had been a simple door just a second ago, there was just a smooth wooden wall. The cat flap was still there, though.

"Discord?" she said. With a flash of light, her husband appeared in front of her, tossing aside a multicolored cube.

"Yes, my dear?" He glanced around. "Is something wrong with the sanctuary?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so...but Discord, why is the door to the cat room missing on this side?"

He pointed to the cat flap. She sighed and shook her head. "Discord...not the cat flap, the actual door. The one I can use to get back home."

He crossed his arms. "I don't like the idea of leaving a door around that anypony can use to enter our home."

She sighed, and pointed to all of the portals that hovered around the sanctuary. He scoffed, "Oh please. You know that everypony except you and Pinkie avoids those things as much as they can. Besides, none of those actually lead inside of the house. A door seems much too tempting for a curious pony."

She sighed again. "You're right," she said. "And I suppose I can use the portals to get back...I just don't like having to go in circles just to get back to where I was. What if I forget something in the cat room back home? I'd have to go through the whole house just to get it and come back here, if you're busy with something."

"I'm never too busy to help you!" he insisted. She blushed.

"U-um, couldn't you at least set something up that just the two of us can use?" she said. "That way, it'll be easy for me to get back, and nopony else can come in." He hummed and stroked his beard, then snapped his fingers. With a flash, a tiny doorbell, surrounded by a golden butterfly, appeared in front of her, right where the handle had originally been.

"Press that, and you'll have your door," he said. "But if anypony else tries it..." He leaned past her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

He darted forward to press the button, but it dodged to the right. He tried again, and it dodged upwards. He kept going, faster and faster, the doorbell always just a second ahead of him. Eventually, he sighed and gave up, letting his arm drop to his side. The doorbell slowly slid back to its original position.

Carefully, she reached out and pressed it. It didn't move away. No sound was made as she pressed it, but it morphed into a golden handle, a simple wooden door fading into existence.

She sighed and opened the door, stepping back into the cat room. The adult cats were still relaxing and rolling around on the floor. "Thank you, Discord," she said as he floated in behind her. "I really appreciate it." She flew up to kiss his cheek.

He smiled, pecking her forehead. "No trouble at all," he said. "Now, what made you come into the cat room? I thought I had given them everything that they needed..."

"Yes, of course!" she assured him, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I had just picked something up at the market today, and it seemed a shame not to use it." She opened the bag and held it out to him. He peered at the greenish contents before looking back up at her and raising an eyebrow.

"It's catnip," she explained, closing the bag again. "It a type of plant that has positive effects on cats." She reached down to one of the cats on the floor, which purred and rubbed its head against her hoof.

"It helps them feel more comfortable and relaxed," she said. "I figured it'd be the perfect way to help some of the strays feel safe here, and in the sanctuary."

Discord pointed at a pair of calico kittens who were wrestling a good distance away from the catnip. "Are you sure you didn't get ripped off?" he asked. "Because if some vendor thinks they can scam you out of your hard-earned bits..."

She shook her head. "Oh, no. Catnip doesn't work well with kittens, or elderly cats. Their sense of smell isn't as great, so they're not affected. In fact, even some adult cats aren't interested in catnip."

She glanced down as a tabby cat rubbed against her back leg. "Discord, do you want to help me—" he was already nodding vigorously. "—make these cats feel more at home?" He paused, but continued nodding.

She placed a simple toy in his hand—a rod and string, with a collection of bright feathers at the end. "Can you play with them for a bit? I'll be right back, as soon as I put this catnip in storage."

He nodded and sat on the ground, dangling the feathers just out of the cats' reach. She left the room, watching for just a second as he used his magic to tickle a cat behind the ear with the feathers, pulling them away from her just as she whipped around. She giggled and let the door close behind her.

* * *

A few minutes later, she opened the frosted glass door. "I'm back!" she said. "How are the—"

She froze in the doorway. Discord was lying on top of the catnip, his back to her. He wasn't moving. Immediately, she rushed to his side, placing her hooves on his shoulder. "Discord, what happened!?"

With a moan, he twisted his body, turning to face her. His pupils were both wide and shiny. She quickly placed her forehead against his.

_He doesn't have a fever,_ she thought. _And he isn't injured.._. "Discord, why are you on the floor?" she asked.

He giggled, then leaned back and tapped his forehead against hers again. "Bop!" he said cheerfully, starting another giggling fit. He twisted around on the carpet, several cats having to dodge his thrashing tail. Several of them swatted at his feathers. Others tried to sneak closer to the catnip, but his thrashing limbs convinced them to retreat.

He purred, arching his chest into the air as he rubbed his upper back against the carpet. _He's acting just like a cat with—_ she froze, the idea clicking into place.

"Discord...is it the catnip?" she said, hiding a giggle behind her hoof. His head flopped in her direction, eyes unfocused and tongue lolling out. She couldn't hold it back anymore—she burst into a fit of giggles.

When she was done, Discord was lying on his back, body curved into a "u" shape, staring blankly up at the ceiling. She bit back another giggling fit and slowly approached him.

_If he's acting like a big cat..._ She placed her hooves gently against his stomach, and began to rub them through his fur.

He purred loudly, and she glanced over to see his tongue sticking out, his eyes closed as a blissful smile spread across his face. She smiled, and continued to rub his belly.

After a few minutes, he thrashed away, rolling around in the catnip again. Once he had stopped moving, this time with his muzzle buried into the rug, she approached again and began to rub the top of his head, just behind his ears.

With a sigh, he slowly shifted his head onto her lap. Smiling, she cupped her front hooves under his chin, kissed his forehead, and continued to stroke behind his ears. Slowly, his eyes drifted closed, and he began to snore softly.

* * *

Minutes later, he jolted awake with a snort. He blinked and glanced around, slowly lifting his eyes until they met hers. "...That wasn't a dream, was it?" he said slowly. She shook her head.

His entire body flushed a deep red, steam pouring from his skin. In a flash, he teleported away. The cats jumped back on top of the catnip, rolling around with content smiles again.

Fluttershy quickly got onto her hooves and rushed out of the door. Going on her gut instinct, she headed towards their bedroom. Sure enough, when she entered, there was a draconequus-shaped lump huddled under the blankets.

The blankets curled into a tighter cocoon around the lump. "Leave me aloooone," he moaned.

She flew over and laid on the bed next to him, tucking her legs under her chest. "Discord, it's okay," she assured him. "I wasn't expecting you to act like that around catnip, but..."

"It was embarrassing," he groaned. "I just...can't Look you in the eyes right now." His cocoon became tighter, as the blanket was pulled from under her. "I'm just going to hide from the world for a few hours."

She laid a wing over him, feeling him stiffen inside his bundle. "Alright," she said. "I'll leave you alone for a bit. I just want you to know that you were...very cute," she giggled. "And that even if you're very embarrassed, I love you very much."

She hugged him as best as she could, wrapping her forehooves around a portion of his cocoon. He whispered, "Thank you," before shifting again and growing quiet. She pulled away and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.


	17. Catnip Craziness 2: Return of Catcord

Fluttershy hummed a merry tune as she stepped inside the house, her saddlebags filled to the brim with supplies for her animals. The prices at the market today had been good, and she even had enough leftover bits to buy some more things for the kitten room without guilt!

As she walked through the living room towards the kitchen, a swarm of books flew past her, nearly knocking her off of her hooves. She spun in place, covering her head with her hooves as they flew by. Too late, she realized the strap on her saddlebags was coming undone.

She yelped and reached out, trying to hold it closed. But just before she grabbed it, the cat toys, cat food, and catnip she had bought all spilled onto the floor. The cat food cans were dented but intact, and the toys just bounced away, but the bag of catnip split open, spilling all over the floor.

The books flew past, down another hallway. Off in the distance, she could hear Discord giving a warcry, and she could already picture him swinging a net around, war paint covering his face. She giggled, then glanced down at the mess at her feet.

_Maybe I can save most of it, _she thought as she scooped some cans into her hooves. _Even if I can't,__ I'll need to grab a broom._

She flew into the kitchen, looking for a place to set down her burden and find a broom.

* * *

A minute later, she flew back into the living room without her saddlebags, and with a broom held in her front hooves. She dropped the broom in surprise when she saw that Discord was lying down, curled up over the catnip spill. Off to the side was a butterfly net, a large broom and dustpan, and a softly humming vacuum.

"Again, Cordy?" she said with a sigh. He rolled over to face her, his pupils so wide they almost filled up his entire eyes, and stuck his tongue out at her. There were some flecks of yellow paint on his face, but he licked his paw and swiped them away before rolling onto his belly and breathing in deeply, his tail thrashing.

Fluttershy giggled. "My, who left such a large, cute kitty in our living room?" Discord just purred loudly, rolling around in the catnip until it covered him completely. He stopped on his back and stared up at the ceiling, the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth.

Fluttershy giggled again, walking forward and rubbing her hooves through the thick, soft fur of his belly. He purred again, batting at her hooves whenever they were within his reach. After a minute of rubbing, he sat up and little more and grabbed her hooves, lightly gnawing on one of them.

"Aw, Discord," she said with a giggle and shake of her head. She tried to pull her hooves away, but he pulled back. "Cordy, I need my hooves." He ignored her, rubbing his cheek against the flat parts of her hooves with a loud purr.

Glancing around her, she saw the various cat toys that had also been scattered on the floor. Grinning, she snagged a nearby toy with her tail—one that looked like a fishing pole, with a rod attached to a string, which held a soft toy that looked like a fish. Using her tail, she swished it past his nose.

His eyes followed the shiny fish toy. She swung it back again. His grip on her hooves loosened. She swung it past his nose again.

This time, he let go of her hooves to try and grab at the toy. She took the chance to pull her hooves away and hover up into the air, pulling the toy out of his reach just a second before he grabbed it.

She removed the toy from her tail and held it in her hooves, dangling it above him as she hovered in the air. He kept trying to grab it with his hands, growling each time he missed. With another giggle, she said, "Maybe I should buy catnip more often. You look like you're having fun."

Discord squirmed, then leapt into the air, grabbing the fish in his mouth and pulling the rod out of her hooves. He landed on the floor with a thud, but seemed unhurt, as he focused on gnawing and batting at the rod.

She giggled as he rolled on the floor, focused entirely on beating and smacking the object he had captured. "You really are a cat," she said with a laugh. "And much more energetic than last time." She looked around her, and her eyes laid on a small, plush mouse toy, which had catnip inside.

"I wonder..." she said, picking it up. "Discord, would you like a catnip mouse?" She held it out towards him, making his ears perk up. He dropped the mangled fish-and-rod toy, sitting up to sniff and stare at the mouse she was holding. He tilted his head, sniffing another side.

"Do you want it?" she asked, giving it a little shake. He made a strange sound, somewhere between a growl and meow. She laughed, shaking her head. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." She dropped it on the ground, right in front of his paw and claw.

Quick as a flash, he grabbed the mouse in his mouth, jumped into the air, and ran out of the room, all of his fur and feathers puffed up, much like a scared or startled cat.

"Oh dear," she said. "I hope he doesn't do anything crazy...well, crazier than usual."

Just as she finished saying that, she heard the sound of crashing coming from down the hallway, probably from him bumping into walls as he tried to turn around corners. She bit her lip and ran after him. "I'd better make sure he doesn't hurt himself...or destroy our home."

* * *

She ran through the halls, trying to find out where he had gone. None of the doors were open, and she was certain he wasn't...aware enough to close a door behind him.

Just a she was thinking this, the sound of shattering glass from the hallway to her right made her ears perk up. "Oh no," she said, galloping down the hallway.

She dashed into the only room with an open door—a collection of the bouquets of flowers she and Discord had given each other through the years they'd known each other, all carefully arranged in beautiful and/or chaotic vases. Discord was currently sitting on a table and facing away from her, a pile of broken glass, water, and roses on the ground next to him.

She gasped when she saw the next vase he was about to knock over—a glass sculpture of the two of them hugging each other, the tulips held between the two of them. "Discord, that was your anniversary gift to me! Don't you dare break it!"

Without even looking at her, he shoved the vase off of the table. It shattered into pieces.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she shouted, "Discord, if you break another one, I'll...I'll sleep in the guest room! And you won't be allowed in!"

Uncaring, he pushed aside the next vase in front of him...though thankfully, since it was one of his strange rubber ones, it bounced instead of breaking.

"Oh...that's it!" she said. "Time for drastic measures!" She flew out of the room, taking a few shortcuts to get back to the living room in just a few seconds. She hurried into the kitchen and found what she was looking for—a spray bottle.

She filled it half-full, before deciding she had taken too much time already, and rushing back towards the vase room. While she was gone, he had knocked over another glass vase, and another rubber one.

"Discord, you stop it right now!" she said in her sternest voice. When he didn't even bother to look over at her before raising his paw to swipe at another vase, she sighed, raised the bottle...and sprayed him with water.

He hissed, his hackles raising. Quickly, he jumped off the table (not into the broken glass, thankfully) and rushed out the door. "Get back here!" she called. "I won't let you break anything else you've made!" She flew after him.

The next room she ducked into was a guest bedroom, decorated much like an expensive hotel suite. She heard a growl from under the bed, and saw Discord's long, lithe form shift.

She almost crawled after him, but realized that would just make him run away again. Instead, she flew overhead and grabbed some pillows from off of the bed, using them to block off the left side and the foot of the bed. Once that was done, she landed on the right side and peered underneath. Discord hissed, bearing his fangs at her.

"Are you going to come out, or be grumpy and hide?" she asked. He only hissed again, backing away from her. "Okay, fine. You be grumpy! I'll just sit here and wait until you're calm!" she declared before taking a seat on the bed. She crossed her front hooves and huffed, but soon felt bad for snapping at him. He was being troublesome, but it was only because of the catnip, really.

She peered back under the bed again, expecting to be hissed at. Instead, she saw that he was curled up with his eyes closed, snoring softly. She sighed and grabbed another pillow, reaching under the bed to push it beneath his head. He snorted and shook his head, but remained asleep and snuggled into his pillow. "Shy," he mumbled.

A smile flickered onto her face, and she laid down on the bed, still holding onto the spray bottle. "Hopefully the catnip will have worn off once you wake up..."

* * *

A few hours later, Discord yawned loudly, and began to stretch. He flinched when his head hit something hard above him. He rubbed at the new bump on his head, looking up to glare at the...bottom of a bed?

He crawled out from under the bed, pressing his chin against the ground to keep the wood from touching his horns. _Don't want to get stuck like that again. It was embarrassing enough the first time Fluttershy saw._ Before he could slighter towards the door, a soft, sleepy mumble from the bed made him turn around.

He peered over the edge of the bed, and saw that Fluttershy was lying with her head on a pillow, loosely holding onto a spray bottle of water. He reached forward and gently shook her shoulder. "Fluttershy? Sweetie?"

She slowly blinked awake, yawning a little. "Oh...I must have fallen asleep..."

"Fluttershy," he said. "Why do I feel like I ran a marathon? And why was I sleeping under the bed?"

"You don't remember?" she asked, to which she shook his head. "Well...remember that one time I left you in the kitten room, and how you reacted to the catnip?"

"I thought we weren't going to talk about that, ever," he said. "What does that have to do with—" He froze as parts of his memory became more clear. While how he got under the bed was still fuzzy, he could clearly remember chasing the escaped flying books from the aviary to the library, and seeing a mess on the floor...stopping to clean it...and getting a good whiff of it as he tried to figure out what it was...

"Oh," he said, feeling his neck turn a shade of red. "I...I reacted to the catnip again, didn't I?" She nodded. With a gulp, he asked, "Please tell me I just decided to crawl under here for a cozy nap...and that spray bottle is just your comfort object I never knew about..."

She shook her head. "I'm...afraid not, Discord." She launched into the story, telling him everything from the moment she found him to the point he fell asleep.

His face was bright red. "I...I broke how many vases?"

"Three."

"And one of them was the anniversary gift?" She nodded. "Augh! Why would I break that one? I [i]like[/i] that one!" He buried his face in his hands. He couldn't deny any of the story. Fluttershy was no liar, and as she told the story, he could recall very fuzzy, almost dreamlike memories of the events.

He slowly crept backwards until he was under the bed again. A paper bag appeared on his forehead. "I feel awful," he moaned. "Can I have some time alone, please? I promise I'll fix...everything I broke later."

Through the bag, he could see her silhouette as she crouched down to look at him. "Discord, it's okay," she said. "You didn't hurt anyone. You only caused a little trouble, because you were acting like a—"

He covered his ears with his hands, whining. "I'm not a cat! I'm not an animal!" he snapped.

She paused. "I'm sorry," she said. "I know you're not an animal, and I know how much it hurts you to be treated that way..." Her ears lowered. "And I still brought catnip into the house, even though I knew how you'd react to it."

She sniffed. He whipped the paper bag off of his head and reached out to her. "Oh Fluttershy, no, don't cry," he said. "I should have recognized it. Hay, I even though to myself 'is that catnip?' right before a smelled it." He caressed her cheek. "I should have been more careful, and not taken a smell of that stuff."

She sniffed and blinked, smiling at him. "And I should have been more careful, and not let something I knew you could react to spill out in the open in such a large amount...at least, not without a note warning you."

He tapped his fingers together. "How about this...I'll add an extra pocket to your saddlebags to hold catnip specifically, and tighten up that straps. That way, nothing can spill out accidentally."

She nodded. "And I'll warn you ahead of time whenever I bring out the catnip, so that you know to stay out of the kitten room." She tapped her chin. "Though...maybe in very small amounts, it wouldn't be so bad for you."

He tilted his head, frowning. She continued, "Last time, you were just very sleepy and affectionate. This time, there was a lot more catnip, and you got a boost of energy and a...desire to cause trouble." He blushed. "Maybe with just a little pinch, it'd just be like a sleeping aid."

"We can experiment later," he said with a wave of his paw. "Right now, I'm going to hide from the world." He summoned a blanket around himself and curled up into a cocoon.

She smiled at him. "Alright. I'll clean up the living room and the vase room, and make some carrot-ginger sandwiches. Do you want to have tea later?"

"Yes please," he said, making the finishing touches to his pillow fort. She smiled.

"Alright. I'll see you then." She blew him a quick kiss. "Love you."

With that, she flew out of the room. He curled up in his blanket cocoon inside his pillow fortress, and began to think about what Fluttershy had said about small amounts of catnip, and him being 'very cute'.


	18. Prank Day

Fluttershy blinked her eyes open, yawning quietly. As she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she noticed that the calendar was flapping around her head in a frenzy.

She held a hoof out towards it, and it flew down to perch. As it did, a spray of confetti and sparkles came from the square that marked what day it was. She coughed and waved away the glittery cloud, narrowing her eyes to read the date.

_Prank Day!_ was written over it in shaky rainbow ink. She smiled, recalling how excited Discord, Pinkie, and Rainbow were when they finally managed to convince Twilight to make it an official holiday.

The last part of her brain woke up, and she glanced over at Discord's side of the bed. It was empty. _Hopefully he hasn't left home already_, she thought, flying over to her nightstand.

She opened the bottom drawer, where there were a few items Rainbow Dash had given her weeks in advance. She grabbed one of the items and tucked it under her wing before walking out and heading towards the kitchen.

* * *

Thankfully, Discord was still in the kitchen. But she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness when she saw he had already made breakfast for both of them. "I thought we'd make something together," she said, making his ears perk up and his head swivel towards her.

He tossed the pan he was holding onto the counter with a loud clang, the eggs inside jumping perfectly onto a nearby plate. He floated over to her, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Sorry, Fluttershy," she said. "I woke up early because I was just so excited for today, and I needed to do something to get my energy out. Can you forgive me?"

She smiled, returning the light kiss. "Of course. I guess I'm just used to us doing this together," she said, rubbing her forehooves together. "Can I at least pour us some drinks?"

"Knock yourself out," he said, levitating the plate of eggs onto the table. "Not literally though, please. I'm in too good a mood to have a heart attack right now."

She giggled and shook her head, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a pitcher of orange juice. She reached into the cabinets above and pulled out a normal glass...then glanced back over her shoulder. Discord was busy dividing the eggs between them.

Quickly, she pulled the item out from under her wing and set it on the counter. "_A dribble glass. Classic prank_," Rainbow had said. "[i_]When he tries to drink out of it, the drink will actually spill on_ him!"

Fluttershy smiled to herself, pouring orange juice into both glasses. She put away the orange juice and carried both glasses to the table, careful to set the dribble glass in front of Discord.

"Thank you, my dear," he said as she took a seat. "Now, why don't we dig in?" She nodded and took a forkful of the stack of pancakes in front of her, biting into it—and spitting it out in surprise. It was sweet, too sweet, almost like..."A real cake," she said aloud.

She noticed that Discord was watching her, biting his lip as a smile curled onto his face. She looked at the other food items, the fried eggs and slice of toast, and took a small nibble out of each. The eggs tasted like coconut, while the yolk was lemony, and the toast tasted like haybacon.

Discord finally burst out laughing. "Oh, the look on your face!" He kept laughing, and even she couldn't help but laugh along. After a few seconds, they both calmed down, Discord wiping tears from his eyes.

"Heh...sorry about that. Do you want an actual breakfast now?" She nodded, and he snapped his fingers. "There. It's all what it looks like now." He started to dig into his pancakes.

She took another bit of pancakes, which actually tasted like pancakes now. "So, I'm guessing you have big plans for today?" she asked, trying not to stare at his untouched glass.

"Oh, yes," he said. "Forgive me for pranking you, my sweet. Just a small warm-up before I move on to the rest of our friends." He reached for his glass. "And then, I'll probably visit Canterlot to prank Twilight, and Silver Shoals to get Celestia and Luna."

She took a sip of her orange juice, trying to hide that she was shaking with anticipation. "Well, I thought your prank was funny. But don't go too far with anyone."

"I know, I know," he said, taking a crunchy bite out of his glass. She grunted, her ears flattening against her head. He glanced up at her, then down at the glass. "I'll replace it," he said, tossing the rest of it into his mouth with a loud crunch.

"Oh, o-okay," she said. They ate the rest of their breakfast, Discord telling her about some of the plans he had for their friends and other hapless victims. After they had finished, and the wet dishes were hanging on a clothesline to dry, he snapped up a jacket and began to pull it on.

"Well, my dear, I think that it's time I head out." A bike appeared in front of him, and he climbed on.

"Wait!" she said, making him freeze with a screeching noise. "I packed you a picnic basket for today, since you'll be so busy." She rushed out of the room and to their bedroom, quickly throwing open the same drawer and grabbing a picnic basket inside before running back.

"_Pie on a spring_," Rainbow had said. "_Never a bad choice. He opens up the basket, and BAM! Pie in the face!_"

She rushed into the kitchen, where Discord was still waiting. "Here you go," she said, handing it over to him. He smiled and put it in his bike's basket.

"Thank you, my dear," he said, kissing her cheek. "Now, I shall be off!" He pedaled forward, a portal to Equestria opening up in front of him. As soon as he was through, the portal vanished.

She began to pace back and forth. "Oh, what should I do? If the pie doesn't work, I'll have missed any chance to prank him until he gets home. And he's been so excited for today, I want to do something to celebrate with him..."

Her ears perked up, and she rushed from the kitchen to their bedroom, and began to stuff her saddlebags with all of the prank items Rainbow had given her. "I can prank him before he leaves Ponyville with the help of my friends!" she said aloud. "Now, who did he say he was going to first..."

* * *

She flew through the Sweet Apple Acres orchard, panting. As soon as she made it to the barn door, she knocked on the wood until it was finally opened...and she was sprayed by a stream of water.

She backed away, sputtering and shaking her head. "Oh my Celestia! Sorry, Fluttershy! I thought you were Pinkie, trying to get the jump on me," Rainbow said as she dropped her water gun.

Fluttershy shook the last bits of water out of her ear. "It's fine, Rainbow. I just came to warn you that Discord is on his way! He's going to prank you and AJ!"

Rainbow groaned. "Aw, why'd you tell me? Knowing what's coming just takes the fun out of it."

Fluttershy bowed her head. "S-sorry. I just wanted to ask for your help to play a prank on Discord. I tried the dribble glass, but he...kind of ate it."

Rainbow groaned, smacking a hoof against her forehead. "Ugh. Tell him he owes me a new one." She opened the barn door wider, stepping to the side. "But pranking him? I can help you with that."

Fluttershy stepped inside. The first thing she saw was a cloud in the center of the room, which she could see from a hole in its side was filled with applesauce. She approached it, tilting her head as she tried to figure it out.

"This is some payback for what he did to AJ last Nightmare Night," she said. "If we can make this applesauce rain on him, it'll be a taste of his own medicine!"

"The problem is that it's a little too heavy for just me. If you can help me carry this into the air and out into the orchard, we can get him just as he targets AJ!" Rainbow said, patting tuffs of cloud over the open hole.

Fluttershy nodded. "Okay! Let's hurry!" She grabbed at the edge of the cloud and beat her wings, grunting. Rainbow grabbed the other end, and between the two of them, they managed to lift the heavy cloud off of the ground and out of the barn.

"I see AJ over there, and Discord hiding behind that tree! C'mon!" Rainbow shouted, dragging the cloud and Fluttershy forward. Fluttershy panted and lifted her head, trying to see around the edge of the cloud.

Discord was hiding behind a tree, snickering. Applejack was looking at two of the trees, confused. She bucked one, and the apples fell into the buckets...but before she could turn around and look, the apples reattached to the tree, and the apples in the next tree over fell off, the buckets scooting over to catch them.

Applejack scratched her head in confusion. Discord's shoulders were shaking, his hands clasped over his mouth. They were close enough that she could see tears of mirth forming in the corner of his eyes.

"Almost there," hissed Rainbow. They moved forward, but then the cloud began to wobble in their hooves.

"Um, Rainbow? Is it supposed to do that?" Fluttershy asked quietly. Rainbow didn't hear her, too focused on bringing the cloud right above Discord's head.

When they were just a foot away, the cloud trembled...and then deflated as the bottom fell out, all of the applesauce inside falling to the ground with a splat. Both Discord and Applejack jumped and turned towards the sound. Fluttershy hid herself behind the cloud.

Discord looked down at the applesauce on the ground, then up at the cloud, with Rainbow Dash in front of it. "Dashie," he said. "Were you trying to rain applesauce on my head, like I did to your wife?"

"A piece of advice—next time you try to rain something odd on somepony's head, stick to liquids. I only managed to make an applesauce cloud because of my magic. I'm actually surprised you made it all the way over here with that!"

He coiled around a tree trunk, slithering up until he was standing on the topmost branch, looking her in the eyes. Fluttershy crouched down a little lower. "Second of all, pranking me will never work!" He snapped his fingers, and a cotton candy cloud appeared above Rainbow's head, drenching her with chocolate milk. "I'm the Lord of Chaos, the Duke of Disharmony, the Baron of Pranking! I'm untouchable!"

He flew out of the orchard, laughing, while Rainbow tried to escape the tiny cloud that was following her. She landed next to Applejack, who was chuckling and shaking her head.

"I should have known it was him when the apples started being weird," she said with a laugh. "Looks like he got us both good. Sorry your applesauce cloud didn't work out, Dash."

Rainbow shrugged. "I'll come up with something better next time." She grabbed a hoofful of cotton candy and began to munch on it. "At least I got a free snack out of him." Her eyes narrowed. "He still better replace my dribble glass, though."

Fluttershy fluttered down to the ground next to them. "Sorry the prank didn't work out..."

Rainbow shrugged. "Hey, don't worry about it. But if you still want to prank him, you should probably get going. He's already got a good headstart on you."

Fluttershy gasped and flew up into the air, flying in the direction of Ponyville, and Discord's next destination.

* * *

Fluttershy flew into the door of Carousel Boutique, panting as the door closed behind her. Fortunately for her, Discord had been distracted by the flower stand, where she had heard him arguing about how many bouquets he was allowed to buy per day as she snuck past him.

Rarity turned for her sewing machine, hurried to Fluttershy's side. "Goodness, darling, are you alright?" she asked.

Fluttershy took a deep breath an nodded. "Yes, I'm...I'm okay. I just had to hurry so I got here before Discord."

Rarity blinked. "Discord's coming here?" She narrowed her eyes. "He's going to play a prank on me, isn't he?"

Fluttershy nodded. "But I was hoping that we could prank him first. Even if it's something small."

Rarity sighed. "Darling, I'd love to help you, I really would. But I haven't the faintest idea of how to prank someone! On days like these, I've always just tried to avoid being a victim."

Fluttershy dug into her saddlebags and pulled out a jar that read "Peanut Brittle". "I borrowed this from Rainbow. I'll hide, and you can give this to him before he pranks you!"

Rarity nodded, lifting the jar with her magic. Just as she did so, the bell on the door rang. Fluttershy gasped softly and dived under a nearby table, lowering her head to peek out from under the tablecloth.

"Why, if it isn't the fair Rarity!" Discord said. From her vantage point, she could see he was wearing shiny black shoes and holding a cane. "How is today treating you, m'lady?"

"Fair enough," Rarity responded. "By the way, Discord, I have something for you."

Discord hummed, and she could hear him tossing something between his hands. "A pony who doesn't bake gives me a treat...a classic pranking treat...on Prank Day, of all days."

She heard the lid pop open, and Rarity yelped and scrambled back, bumping into the table. "Ah, fake snakes in a can. Classic," he said. "But you'll need to do better than that to pull one on me, m'lady."

He clicked his heels and hovered out of her field of view. "Happy Prank Day, Rarity! Have fun!" She heard him cackling as the door opened and closed.

She crawled out from under the table. She gasped, looking around the room. All of the cloth in the room was floating and bobbing gently through the air, although she, Rarity, and all of the furniture remained on the ground.

Rarity sighed and grabbed a sheath of red fabric with her magic, pulling it towards her easily. "Well, this will make working today interesting, but at least he didn't get rid of my sewing machine," she said with a smirk. She lifted the empty plastic jar and fake snake, handing them back to Fluttershy.

"Here you are, darling. I'm sorry I couldn't help more. He caught me by surprise when that snake leapt out at me. I hope the rest of your day goes better."

Fluttershy hugged her. "It's fine, Rarity. I appreciate that you helped me, even though you don't really like pranking." She trotted towards the door, waving. "Have a nice day!"

Rarity waved back. Fluttershy waited for the door to close behind her, and then took off running towards Sugarcube Corner.

* * *

She opened the door to Sugar Cube Corner, hiding behind her mane and sneaking into a booth once she realized Discord was standing at the front counter, pointing at his paw as he spoke with Pinkie.

"...and that's why your joy buzzer didn't work on me," he said. "Honestly, you'd think more creatures would wear rubber gloves that looked exactly their forelimbs on a day like Prank Day."

Pinkie smiled. "I've never thought about that. I'm really glad you're getting into the spirit of the holiday, Discord!"

"I _am_ the spirit of this holiday. It was practically tailor-made for me." A patchwork cloak appeared on his body, and he leaned on the counter, propping his chin in his hands. "Now, Pinkie, for my order, I'd like all of the cakes."

Pinkie froze behind the counter, her eyelid twitching slightly. Discord chuckled. "Okay, maybe that's too far. I only want about five."

Pinkie breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. Which cakes do you want?"

"Oh, it's not anything on your menu, but I have full confidence you can make all of them." He opened his patchwork coat and pulled out five sheets of paper, a covered basket, and five photos. "Here's the recipes, what the cakes should look like, and the ingredients to make them. I'd do it myself, but you're a much better baker."

Pinkie leafed through the papers. "Discord, these cakes could take us all day to make!"

"I don't need them now," he said. "I'll swing by to pick them up around 5:30. And you can get them all finished. Break the laws of physics if you have to."

Pinkie put a hoof to her mouth and whistled, and Cheese rushed out from the back. She handed him the items, and he hurried back into the kitchen. "If this is your prank, it's a little too complex too be very funny," she said. "Sometimes a simple scare or joke pays off more."

He shrugged. "Oh, that's not my prank." He hissed and lunged forward, and Fluttershy could tell he was distorting his face in some way. Pinkie jumped, but then laughed, as did Discord. "Glad to know you approve. But if someone ever wanted to prank _me,_ they'd need to concoct something big."

He and Pinkie chatted about pranking for a few more minutes, before he waved goodbye and strolled out the door. The whole time, Fluttershy was keeping one eye on them, while rifling through her saddlebags with one hoof. _Didn't Rainbow say all of these were simple classics? How can any of these work on him?_

As soon as Discord was gone, Pinkie waved at her. "Hi Fluttershy! Did you need something?"

Fluttershy slunk out of the booth and approached the counter. "Well, I was hoping to get some help pranking Discord, but...he's already gone."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean to can't still prank him!" Pinkie said. She lifted an inflated balloon from behind the counter. "For just a few extra bits, we're baking these into cakes. Whenever someone tries to cut it...POP!"

Fluttershy jumped a little, then asked, "Can...can you do that with one of his cakes?" Pinkie nodded.

"Absotivly! I'll just put it in the...lemon zest raspberry frosted one, okay?" Fluttershy nodded and handed her the bits. "Thank you very much! Have a happy and safe Prank Day!"

Fluttershy said goodbye and walked out the door, planning on enjoying a nice stroll to the sanctuary. As she walked away, though, she saw Discord spreading a picnic blanket on a nearby hill, before pulling a picnic basket—the one she'd given him—out of thin air.

She crept a little closer, ducking behind a bush as she watched in anticipation. _He just has to open it. He just has to open it_, she thought. _How can it fail?_

Discord picked up the basket, unlatched the lid...then turned it upside down, shaking the pie onto the blanket. It flipped itself upright just before hitting the ground, and he tossed the basket over his shoulder before he could even see the spring.

He summoned up a spoon and began to dig into the pie. Fluttershy just sighed, her ears drooping, and continued slowly walking to the sanctuary.

* * *

After eating a lunch packed by Discord she found waiting for her, she got to working in the sanctuary. She spent the rest of the afternoon there, speaking with the animals, cleaning up some of their 'pranks' on each other, and mending some hurt feelings behind them.

Every so often, she would take a break and look through her saddlebags. Each item she saw, she put away, figuring each was too simple to use against Discord. After thinking, though, she placed a small squirt flower on the outside of her saddlebags. _I doubt he'll try to sniff it, or even get close enough, but it's worth a shot,_ she thought. _Besides, it's kind of pretty._

As the sun began to set, she sighed and walked towards a nearby portal. _Hopefully Pinkie's balloon-in-cake trick works._

The portal took her right to the front door, which opened itself for her. A stream of confetti rained from above as she stepped inside, walls of flowers surrounding her. She couldn't help but smile, walking in and looking around for Discord.

He was standing at a nearby table, arranging five delicious-looking cakes. He turned to face her, throwing the pink apron he had been wearing off to the side. "Fluttershy, darling!" he said, flying over to her and kissing her hoof. "Is it sunset already? I wasn't quite ready for you yet."

She giggled. "The confetti, flowers, and cakes weren't enough?"

"I didn't even have time to train some butterflies to write your name in cursive," he said. "And can you _believe_ that most of the flower stands I went wouldn't let me get more than ten bouquets? One wouldn't even let me get five." He crossed his arms and snorted. "Honestly, it's like they don't _want_ to contribute to me greeting the best pony ever."

She giggled. "Well, I think everything looks lovely. Is this because of Prank Day?"

"Sort of. I'm just very happy with how today went, and I want to share some of that with my sweet wife." He kissed her cheek. "Can't have you feeling left out!"

He draped an arm over her shoulder and guided her to the table. "Now, I know we almost had cake for breakfast, but how does cake for dinner sound? At the very least, we can eat dessert first." He winked and flashed to the other side of the table, spreading his arms as he presented the selection.

"Where to start? We have red velvet cake with Fillydelphia cream cheese frosting, orange sherbet ice cream cake, lemon zest cake with raspberry frosting, chocolate-covered mint cake, and vanilla cake with blue frosting and blueberries in the shape of my dazzling smile." He licked his lips, then shook his head. "Don't worry, Pinkie was the one to bake these, not me. Take your pick!"

She licked her lips, looking at the selection. They all looked so good, she was having a hard time choosing. She then remembered that one of the cakes had a balloon inside. "I'd like some of the lemon cake, please," she said.

He nodded, a knife and plate appearing in his hands. "Starting from the middle? I approve." She bit her lip, shaking a little in anticipation as he cut a slice out of the cake...and nothing happened.

Her ears flattened as he placed the slice of cake on her plate. "But...that was..." she said quietly.

"Oh yeah, Pinkie was acting suspicious when I picked up the cakes. So I used a little x-ray vision, and what do you know? Balloon inside a cake!" He pulled said balloon out from behind his back, and her ears flattened even more. His eyes widened. "Wait...were you in on this, too?"

She nodded. "And Rainbow's applesauce cloud...and Rarity's snake in a jar," she said. "I just wanted to join in with you today by pranking you...I even used a dribble glass and pie on a spring I borrowed from Rainbow."

Discord's eyes widened, and she could see the memories of her failed pranks flashing in his pupils. "You were trying to prank me all morning...so we could share the holiday together?"

She nodded, hiding behind her mane. "Yes...but I couldn't do any of it right."

He shook his head. "Oh, no no no, Fluttershy! Your pranks definitely would have worked on someone who wasn't me!" He groaned and smacked his paw against his face. "Saying that didn't help, did it?"

She shook her head. "I guess...pranks aren't a way we can be together," she said quietly.

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Fluttershy, it doesn't matter whether you're amazing or terrible at pranking creatures! Because no matter what, you are Fluttershy, and I love you for th—" He was cut off by a quick spray of water. He looked down to see she had stuck a hoof into her saddlebag...just behind a dripping fake flower.

"G-gotcha," she said, blushing as a bit of water dripped down his nose.

Everything was quiet for a few seconds. Then, Discord began to laugh, his shoulders shaking. He placed his forehead on her shoulder, and said, "You...you're the only creature who managed to get me today! By catching me off guard with one of the simplest tricks in the book!" He laughed. "I haven't been tricked like that in eons!"

She smiled, then started to laugh too. She wrapped a foreleg around his upper back, holding him close as she laid her chin on his shoulder and laughed. They laughed for awhile, leaning against each other, until they both pulled away, panting.

"Looks like I can't called myself an undefeated prankster anymore," he said with a snicker. "And my wife of all ponies is the one to remove that title from me!"

She giggled. "I've never pulled a prank before. It's actually...kind of fun."

He smiled. "Well, that's your first baby step. Maybe next year, I'll let you tag along with me and I can show you some really great pranks."

She smiled. "I'd like that." She kissed his cheek, making him sigh softly, leaning a little closer to her.

He draped an arm over her shoulders. "Now, why don't we dig in? These delicious confections aren't going to eat themselves!" He placed the slice of cake he had already cut into the hooves, a spork appearing embedded in it.

He cut himself a slice of the same cake and plopped down on the couch. Fluttershy sat next to him and curled close, leaning against his side. As she took a bite of cake, she glanced out the window and saw there were fireworks going off just outside their house.

"Happy Prank Day," Discord said, holding a glass of fizzing chocolate milk to her in a toast.

She tapped the glass that was suddenly in her hoof against his. "Happy Prank Day, Discord. May next year be even better."

"Oh yeah. Because next year, I can just pin everything on you," he said with a smirk. She snorted with laughter, poking him in the ribs. He cackled, and they leaned against each other, laughing and watching the fireworks.


	19. Boopin' Good Time

Fluttershy booped Discord's nose. His nose twitched. He crossed his eyes, looking at the tip of her hoof, before looking back up at her and tilting his head in confusion.

She blushed, pulling her hoof away. "S-sorry," she said. "I just thought...sometimes, the cats in the sanctuary like it when I do that."

He blinked, frowning slightly. "I'm not a cat," he huffed, turning back to the hedge he was sculpting with a pout.

She smiled. "What about your lion arm?" He scoffed and waved her off. "What about the way you purr?" she continued, rubbing a hoof under his chin.

He let out a tiny purr at the contact, but pulled away, frowning and crossing his arms. "It's friendly growling," he grumbled. "And I bet a lot of other animals do it, not just cats."

"Or that time I brought catnip home, just to have some extra in stock, and you—"

He placed a finger to her lips, his ears turning a bright red. "Okay, okay! I might be...somewhat like a cat," he grumbled. He pulled away, crossing his arms as his neck turned a slight shade of pink. "Why'd you even bring this up, anyway?"

She blushed, scuffing at the ground with a hoof. "Well...I just saw you working, and thought about how you like to cuddle sometimes...most times," she corrected as he raised an eyebrow. "And then I thought about some of the stray cats who've been coming near the sanctuary lately, and how they sometimes like cuddles...and then I thought about booping them, and, well..."

"You flew up and tapped me on the nose," he finished, booping her nose lightly for emphasis. She giggled, sticking her tongue out at him. She booped him on the nose again.

His nose twitched, and she could see a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips. "You _do_ like this, don't you!" she said, booping his nose again.

He pulled away, covering his nose with a hand, laughing. "O-of course not!" he said. "I think _you_ were more affected than I!" He booped her nose again.

She giggled, sticking out her tongue. "That tickles!" she protested. He just smirked and booped her again. She giggled, pulling away slightly.

He smiled, coiling his body around her, index fingers aimed at her muzzle. "D-Discord," she whispered, shivering as she saw the gleam in his eyes. "Weren't you making hedge sculptures?"

He grabbed the hedge trimmers with his tail and glanced between them and her, a smirk on his face. "Oh, it can wait," he said, tossing them off and into the thick foliage.

He booped her nose. She giggled.

Again. She stuck her tongue out.

After the fifth boop, she began to wriggle in his grasp. His coils slowly loosened around her, until he was lightly draped over her shoulders, and she had freed her front hooves.

With narrowed eyes, she quickly booped his nose just as he was moving in for boop number six. He froze as she made contact, eyes widening and nose twitching.

She pulled away, only to immediately boop him with her other hoof. This time, he chuckled a little. She continued booping him, his smile growing wider as his chuckles grew louder.

Sometime after she lost count, he quickly pulled away and shook his head. "Why must you use my weakness against me?" he growled, covering his nose with his claw.

She tilted her head. "I'm sorry...is your nose sensitive? I didn't know..."

"Oh, no, that's not my weakness," he said simply. She blinked in confusion. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he planted a tiny kiss on her nose. "It's you," he muttered, the red tint appeared on his ears and cheeks again.

She flushed a bright pink, then hid her face in his fur with a squeak. She wrapped her front hooves around his neck, so she could more easily bury her face into his chest.

"Aw, don't be like that," he whispered in her ear, patting her head. "I thought you already knew that, my dear. My love for you has made me terribly soft and mushy."

She mumbled, "It's still...embarrassing."

"You're not the one who said it, are you?" A pause, as he gently ran his fingers through her mane. "Sweetheart...will you please stop hiding?" Another pause. "I can still feel how warm your face is, you know. You're not fooling anypony."

Her blush grew brighter, finally crawling up to her ears. She lifted her head slightly, just to peer up at him. He gave her a toothy grin, lightly kissing her forehead, which was just barely peeled away from his fur.

With a sigh and soft smile, she pulled her face away from his chest, and leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek—

Only for her nose to run right into Discord's finger, his lion arm floating in the air, detached from his arm.

She giggled and stuck out her tongue. He chuckled.

She pulled away, covering her nose with a hoof. "You tricked me!" she said, a hint of a laugh in her voice. He smirked, and his tail twisted around her body and under her hoof, booping her again.

With a huff, she reached out to boop him. He yelped and bent over backward, just barely dodging her hoof as it soared above his head.

Unfortunately, she lost her balance, and with a yelp, she fell forward, on top of Discord.

They both landed in a heap on the teal grass. The air rushed out of Discord's lungs, and he groaned as he let his head fall back against the ground. Fluttershy was blushing, lying on his torso. "I'm so sorry, Discord! I didn't mean to knock you over..."

He sighed and patted her head. "It's fine, my dear Fluttershy," he said. "You're not hurt, are you?" She shook her head, and he smiled softly. "That's good."

He stroked at her mane, and she slowly relaxed, letting her head rest comfortably underneath his chin. "Discord?" she said quietly. He grunted, twisting her mane around his fingers. "Did you like the...the boop?" She could feel her cheeks grow warm.

He paused, fingers freezing in place on her scalp. She could hear him muttering to himself, though it wasn't loud enough for her to make out what he was muttering.

With a soft sigh, he finally said, "I enjoyed it. Even the first one. I just...wasn't sure if it would be weird to like it."

She smiled. "Discord, don't you know that I love that sort of thing about you?" He grunted, and she could see his ears turning a light pink.

"Besides, I liked it, too," she said. Planting her hooves, she sat up slightly. She reached forward and booped his nose.

He stuck his tongue out at her and giggled.


	20. Sugar High

Fluttershy took a sip of tea, turning another page of her book. Discord had been invited to the treat-tasting party by Pinkie and Cheese and had eagerly left after lunch. While Chaosville was very rarely ever _completely_ silent or still, it tended to calm down whenever Discord wasn't around.

She took another sip of her tea. While she preferred reading while cuddled next to her husband, she had learned to not read any romance novels next to him. Inevitably, he would read over her shoulder and start snickering at something, which inevitably led to her bopping him on the nose with the book's spine and having to switch to another book.

With him gone, she could finally read the romance novel she had been meaning to finish months ago. The story of a pirate captain and his noble damsel...and she could still hear Discord snickering at the back of her kind, pointing out how cheesy the dialogue was. She giggled a little, then groaned and placed a hoof against her face.

_Why does his stupid cute laugh haunt me when I'm trying to enjoy myself? _she thought with a sigh, slowly closing the book._ Next time I read it, I'm not going to think about Discord._

She glanced at the clock. Discord was a few minutes late, but she told herself that didn't mean anything, except that he was enjoying the party. He regularly fell behind schedules, at least whenever they _had_ any sort of schedule.

As she was thinking this, the front door was flung open with great force, slamming against the wall. "I'm home!" Discord shouted. "Where's my sweet darling wifey?"

She waved a hoof from her seat. "I'm right here, Discord." His head snapped towards her, his eyes slowly focusing in on her, his face lighting up as a wide grin spread on his face.

"Fluttershy!" he squealed, rushing towards her. Before she could blink, he had wrapped his arms around her and was crushing her against his chest, burying his muzzle in her mane. "I missed yoooouuuu," he moaned, nuzzling the top of her head.

"It's only been a few hours," she said, stroking his mane. "Did something happen at the party?"

"Yes. Everything was delicious," he said, "That's what happened. They had cakes and cupcakes and truffles and cookies..." She heard him lick his lips. She adjusted her head to press her ear against his chest. It was beating rapidly, like it was the drummer of a rock show and his ribs were its drum set.

She pulled away and lifted her head, looking him in the eyes. He was visibly shaking. "Discord, are you okay?" she asked, lifting a hoof to the side of his face.

"Okay? I'm more than okay!" he chirped. "I feel great!" He cupped her cheeks with his hands and began to pepper her face with kisses.

She whined and recoiled a little. His mouth—his whole muzzle, really—was covered in something sticky, along with a multitude of crumbs. And each kiss left unpleasant sticky residue in her coat.

After a few seconds of bathing her in a shower of kisses, his lips finally pressed against hers. For the few seconds he remained there, moving his mouth against hers, she tasted a number of candies. Marshmallow, caramel, and chocolate were all she could identify before he pulled away and pressed her close to his chest again.

She sighed. "You're in the middle of a sugar high, aren't you?"

"Maaaaybe," he said, nuzzling against her cheek. "I love you."

She patted the top of his head. "I love you, too. Now, how about we go to our bedroom and lie down quietly so you can sleep this off?" She took his paw and was about to lead him away, but he squirmed out of her hold.

"Nooo!" he moaned. "I want to go explore! I'm going to go find the best flowers in Chaosville and bring them here!" He dropped her and jumped onto his feet. "I must make the best declaration of love for the best pony!"

She bit her lip as he started striding towards the door. _If he keeps flipping back and forth between ideas like this, what if he wanders off and gets lost? What if something hurts him while he's distracted? What if he tries to pick the carnivorous flowers?_ She rushed forward and grabbed onto his paw.

"Actually, I just remembered I need help with something. Something only my brave, handsome, and sometimes-reasonable husband can take care of," she said.

He dropped to his knees, lopping one of his arms over her shoulder. "Oh? What is it?"

She gulped. "Well...in the sanctuary, there's a...creature! Yes, a strange creature that isn't one of the ones I care for. And it's been...stealing food! So I need you to search the sanctuary and catch it."

He nodded and stood up, quickly saluting her before turning on his heel. "Oh, and you can't use any magic near it!" she shouted after him. "It can sense it, and that will only scare it into hiding. And you don't need to search anywhere else for it if you don't see it. Don't leave the sanctuary."

He nodded and ran to the edge of the island, swan-diving into a portal. Fluttershy rushed down the hallway, searching for a mirror. When she found one, she asked it, "Can you show me Discord, please?"

Her reflection glanced away. "I'm sorry, I'm not that kind of mirror. I think there's one in the Cloud Lounge that can help you." Fluttershy nodded, thanked it, and began looking for the Cloud Lounge. The room wasn't difficult to find, as the door was made out of cloud.

She hurried into the room, which was entirely made of cloud, including the furniture. The only parts not made from clouds were the window (which showed a sunny blue sky with puffy clouds) and a large mirror on the wall.

"Can you show me Discord, please?" she asked her reflection. It nodded at her, and the inside of the mirror seemed to be covered in steam, before clearing and showing a blurry image of the sanctuary, where Discord was rushing back and forth.

She sighed and sat down on a nearby chair. "Hopefully he doesn't do anything foolish," she said to herself. She watched as he dove into a small lake, looking underwater. She sighed. "Anything _too_ foolish, at least."

* * *

For the next hour or so, she watched him dash back and forth through the sanctuary. At first, he moved in a blur, only slowing down to investigate nooks and crannies. As time went by, though, he started moving at a slower pace, and his searching became more methodical and careful, as opposed to sticking his head into random areas to look around.

Since he was acting less recklessly now, she supposed the sugar high was starting to wear off. She left the lounge and went into the kitchen, where she pulled out a blender-like device with "JUICER" written on the neon green base in dark blue letters.

She found a cupboard full of small portals, each with different shimmering pictures of fruits. She started reaching into the portals, grabbing apples, blueberries, and strawberries. She threw them into the device and pressed the large red button.

The inside started to glow brightly. She ducked just as things started flying out the top: apple cores, tiny seeds, and strawberry leaves. The glowing slowly died down after the throwing finished, and a purplish liquid was inside. She grabbed a glass, filled it with the liquid, and flew out of the house and through one of the sanctuary portals.

She spotted Discord wandering around the perimeter of the fish pond and flew over to his side. "Have you calmed down?" she asked, hovering just out of his arm's reach. He glanced at her before staring down at his feet and sheepishly nodding.

"The hunt was fake, wasn't it? And you sent me on it because I was acting...like I was, right?" he said.

She nodded. "Only because I was worried you'd get in trouble trying to do something reckless, bouncing off of ideas like that." She glanced around. "All of the animals here have learned not to bother you if you act strange or aloof. And you were acting...fairly strange."

She handed him the glass of juice. "I kept an eye on you in one of the mirrors. Just in case," she said, rubbing her front hooves together. "I'm sorry I tricked you like this."

He waved it off. "Oh, you did it for my own good. Besides, until I realized it was probably fake, I was happy to be doing something for you." He raised the glass to his lips, then stopped and eyed it warily.

"It's sugar-free," she told him. "I made it with the juicer." He looked relieved and took a small sip. Then a large gulp. Then he began to chug down the rest of the glass.

"There's more at home," she told him. "And I think you should drink some water with it, then rest for a little bit." She flew under his lion arm, wrapping a foreleg behind his back.

He finished his drink and nodded. "You're right. It seems after every large sugar high, there's a large crash!" He chuckled a little, and she smiled up at him.

His legs suddenly slumped under him, and she had to quickly beat her wings in order to hold him up. "Aaaand there it is," he moaned. The glass slipped out of his talons and fell to the ground.

She grunted. "Discord, can you please snap us back home? Into the bedroom?" He sluggishly nodded and raised his eagle claw, managing to snap them once before his arm slumped back down his side.

They appeared in their bedroom, actually standing on the bed. Carefully, she slowly lowered the upper half of his body until he was flat on the bed. She adjusted his head and neck so they were actually on a pillow, and pulled the covers up to his chin.

"I'll go get you some more juice and water, okay?" she told him, stroking his mane. "I'll be back in a minute." She kissed his forehead, which caused a smile to stretch on his face. She pulled away and flew out the door.

Just a few minutes later, she flew back in, holding a glass of juice in one hoof and a cup of ice water in the other. Discord's eyes were closed, and his breathing was deep. She silently placed the cups on the nightstand, and one of his eyes slowly peered open. "Flutters?" he groaned.

She shushed him, stroking his mane. "Did I wake you?"

"Noooo," he groaned. "Wasn't sleep." His paw wriggled out from under the covers, flopping onto the pillow to point at the glasses. "Juice?"

She grabbed the juice glass, using her other hoof to help him sit up. He slowly grasped it in both hands, and she helped him lift it to his mouth a slowly drink it. Once he had emptied it, she set the glass to the side and grabbed the water. "Drink this too, please," she said, placing it in his hands.

He drank it just as greedily, with a little help from her. Once he was done, she stroked his cheek gently before pushing down on his shoulders, encouraging him to slide back into a lying position. She pulled the covers back up to his chin and stroked his mane, kissing him on the forehead.

"I'll be back in just a minute," she told him. He whined, and she kissed his forehead again. "One minute." She went into their bathroom and turned on the sink faucet, scrubbing at her face with warm water. After patting herself dry with a towel, she grabbed a washcloth, soaked it in water, and went back to Discord.

She carefully rubbed at his muzzle, trying to remove all of the sticky residues. He whined and shifted, but didn't push her away. After a few seconds, he was clean, and she gave him a small kiss on the lips. She tossed the washcloth back into the bathroom and stroked his mane. He sighed and rolled over, leaning into her touch.

"Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?" she whispered. He eagerly nodded, and she giggled. "Alright." She moved to her side of the bed and lay down next to him, letting her head rest on top of his shoulder.

"Sleep well, Discord," she said, still stroking his mane. She watched as his eyes slowly fluttered closed, his breathing becoming heavier. She didn't pull away from him until she was certain he was fast asleep.


	21. Crazy Critters

Fluttershy was writing on a piece of cardboard with a black marker. She held the cardboard away from her, judging her writing. With a nod, she capped her marker and carried her sign outside, flying to one of the smaller floating islands surrounding their house.

She set the sign in front of her, taking a seat on the grass while she tried to find a way to prop up the cardboard. A bright light flashed in front of her, and Discord appeared. "Free Hugs and Talking About How You Feel," he read. Glancing up at her, he said dryly, "I don't think you'll get very many ponies to come by here."

"I know," she said. "I thought I'd see if any of the creatures wanted some attention. I want to make sure they're getting everything they need."

He hummed. "Well, the sign would be a good idea...except most of them don't read Ponish." He put a hand to his chin and muttered, "Actually, I think there's a lot who don't even have eyes..."

"Oh," she said quietly, looking down at the sign she hadn't even figured out how to prop up.

"Which is why you need a new approach!" he declared. He snapped his fingers, creating a cardboard fold on the back of the sign, as well as a large light switch that was in the "off" position. "Just flip that switch, and it'll send a mild telepathic signal telling creatures there's somepony here that'd like to know how they're feeling."

She smiled, flicking the switch. "Thank you, Discord." He smiled and leaned in, his eyes gleaming. "...You want a hug, don't you?" she said with a playful shake of her head. His grin widened as he nodded.

She smiled and wrapped her hooves around his neck, squeezing tightly. "Is this good?" she murmured in his ear. He sighed and leaned his head on top of hers, burying his muzzle into her mane. She giggled, nuzzling against his neck.

Suddenly, Discord fell away from her with a yelp. She gasped, hooves flying to her mouth and about to follow him, but a book flew in front of her with paper wings, silently bearing its fangs at the fallen draconequus.

"Discord? Are you okay?" she cried. He swiftly got back onto his feet and dusted himself off. The book continued bearing its fangs and waved some of its spindly legs at him.

"I'm fine, dear. Just caught me by surprise is all," he assured her. "It looks like you've received your second customer of the day."

She nodded and slowly reached out towards the book. "It's alright," she whispered. "Discord's not going to hurt you." The book glared at the draconequus, ruffling its pages, before flying into her hooves and folding up its wings.

"Oh, so it's affectionate with you, and not the person who made it?" Discord snorted, draping a hand onto her shoulder. The book glared at him and lunged towards his hand with its sharp fangs. He managed to pull away in time, holding his hand to his chest.

"No!" Fluttershy admonished the book. "We do not bite creatures, understand?" The book ruffled its page, cuddling into her chest. "You need to apologize to Discord."

For a second, the book did nothing. She sighed and let go of it, giving it a small nudge in Discord's direction as it hovered in the air. Slowly it fluttered over to him, then extended its spindly arms downward, it's whole body drooping.

"Apology accepted," he said, reaching towards it. She quickly waved her hooves at him, shaking her head and mouthing, _Ask first!_ "May I touch you?" he asked, paw frozen in the air.

The book hesitated, but slowly nodded. Discord stroked its spine gently, and the book's eyes drifted closed. Slowly, and with some silent encouragement from Fluttershy, he stepped closer, until he could cradle the book in his arms. He did so carefully, watching the book warily, but it didn't react, aside from a few tiny flinches.

"There," she said, fluttering over to stroke the book's spine. "See? Discord is a friend." The book ruffled its pages, its mouth-like slit curling into a smile as it snuggled into Discord's fur, draping a few spindly legs over his arms.

Discord scratched at its spine. "Consider yourself lucky. That spot is reserved for only my favorite pony." Fluttershy blushed, though she tried to shake it off. The book's mouth opened in a silent laugh.

"Are you fairly happy with your life, Mr. Book, or it there something you think would make you happier?" she asked. The book tapped below its mouth with a leg, eyes narrowing. It spread its wings out, giving them a soft flap.

"You like to fly?" she translated. It gave her a gesture similar to a nod, bobbing its spine up and down. It used its legs to crawl out of Discord's hold and hang upside-down from his forearm. "And you like to hang from perches." The book nodded again.

It flew up, hovering between the two of them. It gestured to all the empty space around it, then pointed at itself with a leg, holding another straight into the air while the rest of it drooped limply. "...But you're the only one here who likes those things," she said quietly. It slowly nodded.

Discord sighed. "I could make more living books, but...chaos doesn't like repeating itself. Most other flying books I've made don't have legs or fangs, for example." The book's altitude lowered, its wingbeats slowing.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "But I'm sure you have a plan already," he said to her. "You've got so many critters here. Say the word, and I'll take us right to wherever you think is best."

"Let's try the bat sanctuary," she said, offering a foreleg to the book. As it hung from her arm, the three of them were teleported to another floating island with two shimmering blue portals right next to it, and where the sky was much darker.

The island held the opening to a dark cave, with a grove of various fruit trees in the area where they were standing. Said fruit trees had immature fruits slowly growing in places, with multiple types on each tree. One portal opened to a section of the animal sanctuary with similar trees, complete with some bowls filled with fruit, while the other opened to a section of an apple orchard.

The air was heavy with many species of bats, all flying about and either grabbing fruits to suck dry, or snatching tiny, flying specks out of the air. Others were perched in the cave or tree branches, keeping their wings wrapped around their bodies. The book slowly let go of Fluttershy's hoof, flying up to a swarm of the bats. The animals didn't seem to mind as it joined in with their swooping and gliding. It flew back over to Fluttershy and Discord, giving them quick hugs around the neck before flying back up to its new friends.

They waved goodbye as Discord snapped his fingers, teleporting them back to her sign. "I'd say that was a satisfied customer," he declared. "Do you need me for anything else? Some creatures might not want to come near if I'm around."

She smiled. "I might need your help with some things. But if you don't feel comfortable staying..."

He stroked at his beard before his eyes suddenly lit up. He snapped his fingers, and two bags and a silver bell appeared behind her sign. "There's a bag with infinite food, a bag with grooming materials, and a bell to call me if you need me." A withered top hat appeared on his head, which he tipped at her. "I'll see you later, my dear! Good luck!"

And with that, he disappeared with a puff of blue smoke. She smiled and set down, waiting for the next creature to arrive.

* * *

The morning seemed to past by quickly, as a steady stream of strange creatures arrived to be hugged and explain their problems. She met one of the carnivorous flowers from Discord's garden, whose only desire was to receive a hug and try something it'd heard about called "photosynthesis". She'd pointed him in the direction of a nearby blue portal streaming sunlight down on a floating patch of soil.

Her next visitor was a flying shark, who was happy to have his wings preened and to get directions to the closest body of saltwater. She had pointed upwards, where a shimmering blue ball was in the distance, and waved as it flew away.

Many other creatures came by, just looking for a little affection. A swarm of eyeballs with wings, a tamed yeti, a large cat-like creature with bright yellow eyes and too many legs...so many colorful, crazy creatures passed by.

Discord appeared behind her as she was waving goodbye to a large fruitbat with pegasus wings. "I figured you could use some refreshment," he said, holding out a tray with a tall glass of lemonade. She smiled as he handed it to her, taking a large swig.

"How's business?" he asked, creating two lawn chairs side by side. She took a seat, sipping at her drink.

"Everything's been going well," she said. "Most creatures are pretty content, and just want a little affection, or a chance to talk with someone. And the ones who need more than a hug are easy enough to direct." She told him about the shark and the flower.

He sighed, stroking at his beard. "I should try and introduce photosynthesis to the others in the garden. It might help them—what's the term—'mellow out'." She nodded.

Suddenly, a pink tendril wrapped itself around Discord's torso, pulling him out of his chair and towards the edge of the island!

He yelped, digging his fingers into the ground before he could be pulled off of the edge. She gasped and flew over, trying to pull the tendril off of him. As she pulled at it, she realized whatever it was made of snapped away easily, before flying back into place. It felt similar to...hair?

More tendrils slammed down near her. Slowly, they pulled themselves upward, and a large figure looked over the edge of the island. With a soft thud, the monster from her own mane landed, glaring at her and Discord, a deep rumbling sound coming from it.

"Excuse me," she said quietly. "Could you please let my husband go?" The mane monster lifted Discord up and glanced between the two of them. It tossed him to the ground with a grunt.

He was immediately on his feet in front of her, using his tail to keep her behind him. His claws were unsheathed, his fangs bared. "What are you here for?" he growled.

It grunted, and jabbed at the sign with a tendril. She lightly pushed his tail aside. "...You want a hug?" The mane monster nodded quickly. "Alright."

She took a few steps towards it, but stopped when Discord grabbed her shoulders. "Fluttershy, what if—" She patted his paw reassuringly.

"Discord, I've hugged a flying shark, a yeti, and a carnivorous plant today. It'll be fine." He frowned, his hold only loosening slightly. "Besides, you're here to help if something does go wrong."

He sighed and let his hands drop limply from her shoulders, stepping out of her way. She approached the mane monster, stretching her hooves towards it when she was close enough. It grabbed her with several tendrils, pressing her to its large central mass. She pressed her hooves against it as it wrapped more tendrils around her, nuzzling against her face and clinging to the ends of her mane.

The sensation was somewhat enjoyable. The mane was mostly soft, and the only thing she could compare to the experience would be lying on a vertical bed. The only unpleasant part was that twigs or rocks, stuck in the twisting mane, would poke her in the side. After a minute or so, the mane monster seemed to have had enough, and slowly detached itself from her.

It gave her a quick nuzzle, making a rumbling, purring sound. It shifted around, turning to leave. "Wait!" she called, making it and Discord not at her in surprise. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

The mane monster paused, then extended a larger tendril to her. It was filled with twigs and rocks, and stained with mud. "I'm very sorry about that," she said. "Would you like me to clean it for you?"

It shook its head quickly, pointing a tendril at itself. "You want to clean it yourself?" It nodded.

She glanced over at Discord. "Sweetie, could you make something for me?" She flew over and whispered in his ear, describing her plan. He slowly nodded, grinning, and snapped his fingers.

The space in front of them shifted aside like a shower curtain. On the other side was a large tiled bathroom, with a pool-sized bathtub, surrounded by large bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and mane gel. Hanging on the wall were various brushes, combs, curlers, and straighteners, and off to the side was a pile of fluffy patterned towels.

"Behold! Your own, personal spa!" he declared. "Separated from other parts of the dimension, so no creature will probably bother you!"

He held out a plastic shower ring. "Oh, you'll need this. You can open this space up wherever you want, and when you exit, you'll end up right where you left!" The monster slowly placed the ring on one of its tendrils, entered the bathroom, and closed the fabric of reality behind it.

Fluttershy smiled and wrapped her forehooves around his neck. "Thank you, Discord. That was sweet of you."

He ruffled her mane. "You're the sweet one. It was your idea, after all. Why didn't you tell it that?"

She nuzzled his neck. "Well, I know you haven't had many good interactions in the past. I thought it'd be good for you to start again on the right hoof."

He nuzzled her back. "I hate to say this, but...I think the sign needs to come down for a bit." He grabbed her under her forehooves and held her up, looking at her stomach. She glanced down, and blushed when she realized she was covered in mud and hair...and she had gotten some on Discord.

He reached over and flicked the switch on the sign into the off position, wrapping his tail around it. "Let's get you cleaned up," he cooed, holding her bridal style in his arms as he kicked off of the ground.

"You're covered in mud, too," she whispered, a blush still on her cheeks.

"Well then, if you want to get back to helping creatures, we'll just have to save time and bathe together!" She squeaked and covered her red face with her front hooves, while he laughed and nuzzled behind her ear.


	22. I'm Not Fluffy!

"Oh, I can't wait to see the butterfly exhibition!" Fluttershy said, practically prancing down Ponyville's street. "What do you think they'll have? Monarchs? Painted Ladies?"

Discord, floating along behind her, snapped his fingers. In a flash of light, his mane had lengthened to his shoulders, he was wearing a white dress with random splashes of color, and his face and arms were colored with paint. "Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?" he said, flashing out of his ensemble.

She giggled and nuzzled his cheek, before prancing ahead. "Oh, this is so exciting! I still can't believe that the Equestrian Society for Insect Preservation is bringing their traveling butterfly exhibit to Ponyville for the day!"

He chuckled. "Oh, yes. Quite a shock that they decided to visit the place High Princess Twilight and Princess Fluttershy, lover of all animals, used to live and where the other Princesses live. I can't imagine what made them choose this town to stop in."

Fluttershy blushed. "Y-you know what I mean. I'm just so excited that they're here!"

"Yes, I know. I just love teasing you," he said, poking her cheek. She giggled. Discord's ears perked up at the sound...and picked up something else—the soft but fast wingbeats of a pegasus.

One of his eyes rolled back into his skull, the pupil glowing a bright red. Through his skull and a tint of green, he saw a familiar pegasus with a short mane flying just behind them, pushing a cloud in front of her. It stood out quite a bit on a clear, sunny day, the wonderful weather the reason why they had decided to walk through town. She was biting her lip, probably concentrating on being stealthy while keeping up with them.

He plugged his nose and exhaled, and his eyeball slid back into a normal position with a pop. "Rainbow Dash is following us," he whispered to Fluttershy. Her eyes widened, and she almost turned around. "No, don't look. She shouldn't know that I've spotted her yet."

"Why can't we say hello?" Fluttershy said quietly, moving forwards as Discord kept floating along.

"Because she's trying to be sneaky, and bringing a cloud with her," Discord whispered. "She's probably trying to get revenge on me for what happened last week."

"Prank Day? But she didn't seem mad at you..."

"No, but that doesn't change that I pranked her, and pranksters will pull pranks for revenge, even after the funniest of pranks," he said. "Just act normal, keep walking to the exhibit. But when I give the signal, dodge to the right. I'll go left."

"O-okay," Fluttershy said, continuing to walk along. She and Discord continued down the road, while Discord rolled his eye back into his skull again, watching Rainbow closely.

Rainbow approached them, pushing the cloud until it was practically above him. Just a few feet away, she shoved it forward with her hooves so that it was right above them, then wheeled around and bucked it with her back hooves.

"Now!" Discord said, springing away from where he was standing. Fluttershy quickly did the same, almost tripping over her hooves. A second later, a purple liquid began to rain from Rainbow's cloud where he had just been standing.

"Hah!" he yelled, pointing up at Rainbow. "You're going to have to be sneakier than that to—"

"SUPRISE ATTACK!"

Pinkie leapt from the bushes right behind him, splashing some kind of liquid onto his back. "Ugh!" he shouted, shivering and shaking his fur. Pinkie leapt backward, but all of the liquid seemed to seep into his fur instead of flying off.

Fluttershy quickly approached him, looking a little worried, while Rainbow and Pinkie were biting their lips and staring at him with wide eyes. He sighed. "Okay, what did you two just—"

_Poof!_

The fur on his torso, neck, and left arm suddenly puffed up to several times its normal size. "Gotcha!" Rainbow and Pinkie shouted together before they snorted, then started to laugh, collapsing against each other.

"D-discord," Fluttershy said, placing a hoof into his chest fur. "T-this is a new look for you." A hoof was against her mouth, and she was biting the corners of her mouth. "You're so...fluffy."

A bright red blush covered his cheeks. "I'm not fluffy," he whined, his lips forming into a pout. Rainbow and Pinkie laughed harder, tears starting to pour out of their eyes. Even Fluttershy seemed to be struggling to keep from laughing, tears pouring from her eyes as she made a 'pfft' sound.

Discord huffed and crossed his arms, pouting. "Oh, sure, laugh it up. Take a picture! Enjoy my utter humiliation!" He saw a pony and changeling duo staring at him, smirking. "What are you staring at!?"

They fled, snickering. Rainbow and Pinkie had collapsed into a heap on the ground, Rainbow pounding at the ground with her hoof. Fluttershy placed a hoof on his shoulder, making him turn to look at her. She was grinning widely. "I think it makes you look...cute," she said with a small giggle.

His blush grew brighter. Rainbow and Pinkie seemed to be finally calming down from their chuckling fit. "Ha ha ha," he said in a deadpan voice. He snapped his fingers, intending to smooth his fur back down. It did so—for about a second and a half before puffing back up again. He groaned and ran a talon through it, before lifting a finger up to sniff it. There was an unmistakable taint of magic, enough that his magic wouldn't be enough to fix his fur with brute force.

He thought about it for a bit, snapping his fingers a few times, to no effect. _Ugh, potions,_ he thought, remembering that Pinkie had thrown some liquid on him. _I barely know anything about potions..._ With a sigh, he turned to his attackers and said, "Now, do either of you ladies know when _this,"_ he gestured to his torso. "Is supposed to wear off?"

Pinkie shrugged. "I don't remember if there was a time limit on it..." Rainbow shrugged and shook her head, chuckling.

Discord glared at them, then grinned. "Well, then...!" he snapped his fingers, and Rainbow and Pinkie disappeared, replaced by large balls on fur, one cyan, one pink. "We'll all have to suffer through this together until one of us remembers a way to get rid of this effect," he said, slinging an arm around each of them.

Rainbow lifted her fuzzy hooves and looked down and them. "Gah!" she said. "What did you do!?" She frantically tried to smooth down her fur, but it refused.

"A mere fate tangling spell...in our fur," Discord explained. "As long as I remain like this, so will you."

"Agh!" Rainbow shouted. "How could you do this!? I can't let AJ see me like this!"

Pinkie was examining her reflection in a nearby shop window, making faces at herself. "Ah, c'mon Dashie!" she said. "I think we all look cute like this!" She stuck out her tongue and bounced up and down, shaking her fur back and forth.

Rainbow groaned, dragging her hooves down her face. "Okay. Okay." She took a deep breath and flew up to Discord, poking him in the nose. "Look, this was supposed to be just a simple revenge prank for what you did to us on Prank Day."

"The potion for this was something we picked up from Zecora," she said. "Go talk to her if you want to reverse the effect."

"Thank you," Discord said. "C'mon, Flutternutter. We can swing by Zecora's and fix this before the butterfly exhibition!"

Fluttershy giggled and wrapped a forehoof around his now-fluffy left arm, pressing herself against his side, her check into his fur. He waved to Rainbow and Pinkie, then snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

"Zecora!" Discord said as they appeared in her hut. "Rainbow and Pinkie used one of your potions on me!"

Zecora looked up from her cauldron at him. A hoof flew to her mouth, and she chuckled, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Ah, yes, the potion that increases the volume of creature's fur. Those two bought it and ran away in a blur."

"Yeah, and they used it on me as a prank," Discord said, his cheeks turning red. "Can I just wait until this wears off? I don't understand potion magic enough to counteract it."

Zecora shook her head. "This potion does not wear off with time, I'm afraid. It is only something to be removed with aid."

"Aid, huh?" Discord said, looking down at himself. He snapped his fingers, and a buzzing electric razor appeared in his paw. "Which is worse...too much fur, or none at all?"

Fluttershy put a hoof over his paw. "Let's...not do anything drastic," she said. "There's another way, right?" she asked, looking back at Zecora.

Zecora nodded. "I know of a way to rid you of this, to right your fur that is now amiss. Only another potion, a cure, will do it, but I will need some time to brew it."

"What? I have to wait to fix this!?" Discord said, gesturing to his torso. He narrowed his eyes. "And did you just rhyme the same word?"

Fluttershy placed a hoof on his shoulder. "How soon can it be ready?" she asked.

"Return once the moon is out, and I will be done by then without a doubt," Zecora said, already browsing her shelves of herbs. "I'm sorry for not already having this boon. I did not think those two would use it so soon."

"I have to wait that long!?" he groaned. Zecora nodded solemnly. He growled and grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine. I guess I can just hide away in Chaosville until then," he said, raising his fingers into a snapping position.

Fluttershy grabbed his hand. "But what about the exhibition?" she said. "I really wanted to spend time with you today...I don't want to go without you."

He sighed, letting his hand fall to his side. "Do I _have_ to go in person?" he said. "I could just use a spell so we can talk with each other while you go to the exhibition, while I hide at home."

She shook her head, narrowing her eyes. "You know I prefer being with you in person," she said. He glared at one of the masks on Zecora's wall, and she lightly reached up to caress his cheek. "Please, Cordy?" she said. "It won't be that bad..."

He bit his tongue before he started to argue. "...Alright, fine. I'll go out like this..._in public_," he said, placing a hand to his forehead and leaning against the wall dramatically. He heard a snicker from Zecora, who he shot a quick glare at. "Can you just give me, say...five minutes, before we head out?"

Fluttershy nodded, and he snapped his fingers, creating a small shower with opaque walls where he was standing. The wall in front of him was a mirror, which let him see how bad his fur was. He grimaced at the site and snapped his fingers again, creating a small hourglass that hovered in front of him, a bottle of mane gel, and a comb.

As the sand poured from the top to the bottom of the glass, he poured hair gel onto his fur and brushed it in with the comb. He did this until all of his fur was slick, slimy, and smoothed down. The hourglass rattled and chimed, indicating that his time was up.

"Okay, I'm ready!" he declared, waving away the shower stall and stepping out to Fluttershy. "How is it now?"

She bit the corners of her lips. "You look very, um...shiny," she said, a small giggled coming out of her mouth.

He huffed. "Well, I think I'll get fewer strange looks like this."

Zecora looked up from her cauldron and shook her head with a chuckle. "I'm afraid that all of that gel is quite a waste. Nothing can stop the potion when with your fur it is interlaced."

"Say what now?" he said. Just as he spoke, his fur quivered...and poofed up again, flinging the gel that was in it in all directions, coating both Fluttershy and Zecora.

Zecora wiped the gel off of her face. "Have a little patience, friend. Once this cure is done, your woes will end."

"Ugh, patience," Discord said with a gag, snapping his fingers and getting rid of the hair gel. "Isn't there anything I can do to help speed things along?"

"I already have all the herbs I need," she said, lighting a fire under the cauldron. "And I fear your lack of knowledge would only impede."

He sputtered. Fluttershy wrapped a forehoof across his back, and he turned to her, pouting. She bit her lips, clearly trying not to giggle. "Discord...let's just go to the exhibition," she said. "After that, we can go to Chaosville until the cure is ready."

"Fine," he said. "But I'm taking us right there! The less creatures that see me like this, the better!" He turned to Zecora, tipping a black bowler hat to her. "See you later, wannabe poet."

With that, he slung an arm around Fluttershy and snapped his fingers. They both disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

With a flash of light, they appeared in the clearing of the exhibition, where several creatures were milling around to look at the butterflies in nearly-transparent netted cages, talking with some of the ponies in green uniforms who were standing next to each butterfly cage.

Fluttershy gasped and began flitting around, twisting in place as she tried to take in everything at once. "Oh my goodness! Look at the monarchs! And blue morphos! And peacock butterflies!"

As she babbled on and on about how many wonderful butterfly species they had, Discord rubbed at his arm and glanced over his shoulder at a nearby group of ponies. They were staring at him, and a few of them were giggling, hooves covering their mouths. He growled, his tail shaking and making a rattling sound. His hackles stood up, and he immediately cursed them internally for making him fluffier.

"Discord?" he heard Fluttershy ask. She had stopped her flitting about and was hovering in front of him, clasping her forehooves together. "Are you okay?"

"Never better," he said, not quite finding the energy to sound cheerful. "Why?"

"You're grinding your teeth and scowling," she said. "Are you mad about your fur?" He grunted and crossed his arms. "Oh." She looked down at the ground. "We can go home, if you want. We could try to see the exhibition when it visits some other town..."

"It's fine. We're already here," he said. "I just...don't like that creatures are laughing at me. I know I'm normally a jokester, but I hate it when _I'm_ the punchline against my will."

Fluttershy looked over at the group he had been glaring at. He glanced back and saw that they had turned away to watch the butterflies. There were still a few people here and there that he saw chuckling, though. Fluttershy giggled, and he snapped his head back in her direction, wearing a hurt expression.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But...you do look very silly." He pouted and lowered his head, his face turning bright red. She placed a hoof under his chin and lifted his head back up to look him in the eyes.

"But Discord, I don't mean to be cruel. Neither did Rainbow or Pinkie. And I'm sure no one else who's laughing is trying to be mean," she said. "But be honest...if you saw me poofed up the way you are, would you laugh?"

He closed his eyes and envisioned it—Fluttershy, her fur fluffed up the way Rainbow and Pinkie's had been. Despite himself, he let out a small chuckle.

"See?" she said. "It's funny." He opened his eyes, forcing a small grin on his face.

"I guess I do look...ridiculous," he said with a chuckle. "It's just different, not being able to_...stop_ looking ridiculous."

She smiled, a pink blush forming on her cheeks. "I-If it helps, I think it makes you look...cute. Very c-cuddly."

A deep red blush formed on his face. He turned his head to look in another direction, but glanced back and opened his arms to her. With a grin, she flew into his chest, nestling herself into his fur. "So soft," she said with a small giggle. "Thank you."

He patted the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his snout into her mane. His ears flicked around, a part of him still worried and dreading giggles and laughter. Instead, he heard...cooing. Ponies saying how cute he and Fluttershy were, or simply making a sound of happiness. He didn't hear a single hint of mockery.

His blush grew brighter, and he swiveled his ears away. "You're right," he whispered to her. "Everycreature seems to mean well." He chuckled. "Though I know I shouldn't let strangers' opinions bother me..."

She nuzzled his chest before pulling away and looking up at him. "Of course," she said. "Now, do you want to look at all of these exhibits with me? And maybe go out for lunch afterward?"

"Of course, dearest," he said, placing an arm under her to comfortably support her against his chest. "I think I've held us up long enough. Where to first?"

She pointed out one of the exhibits, and he carried her over. She leaned back into his fur as they talked with the worker nearby, who was struggling to keep a straight face.

Through their time at the exhibit, and in the park they ate their picnic lunch, chuckles and giggles followed. But Discord ignored them, thinking and laughing to himself that he _did_ look funny...and that was the point of Rainbow and Pinkie's prank.

* * *

"Sorry for being such a poor sport," Discord said to Rainbow and Pinkie as he slathered the cream Zecora had given him onto his fur. "As I already said to my sweet Fluttershy, I don't like being the punchline of a joke...and least without it being my choice."

The cream absorbed itself into his fur. A few seconds later, with a _phoomp,_ it flattened into its normal look. As it did so, Rainbow and Pinkie went from being balls of fur to normal-looking ponies again.

Rainbow scoffed. "Yeah, seriously. You pranked us first, we were just getting you back! Dragging us into it was uncalled for." She rubbed at the back of her head. "Though I guess dealing with it all day may have been going too far...I only dealt with your cloud for an hour or so."

Pinkie beamed. "Well, I thought it was fun! We all looked so silly." She giggled. "It was fun, seeing how everyone reacted to me!"

"Glad you enjoyed yourself, Pinkie," Rainbow said. "AJ wouldn't stop laughing at me! It was humiliating!" She buried her red face in her hooves.

"Sorry, Rainbow," Discord said. "If it makes you feel any better, Fluttershy thought I looked ridiculous, too."

"It does, a little bit," Rainbow said. She yawned. "Now, if you don't mind, I've gotta turn in early tonight. There's a whole bunch of new recruits coming in tomorrow, and I need to be up as early as possible!"

"Of course," Discord said. "Sorry for keeping you up." He snapped his fingers, and a shimmering portal appeared in front of her, showing Sweet Apple Acres just after sunset. Rainbow waved goodbye and flew through, the portal zipping closed behind her.

"Thanks for giving us dinner, Discord," Pinkie said, bouncing to her hooves. "But I also have to go. Cheese is probably waiting for me." She started heading towards the door. "Don't worry, I can find my way back home from here."

Discord's face paled, and he quickly rushed in front of the door, spreading his arms to block her path. "Oooh no you don't," he said. "You think I'm going to let you wander unchecked through my dimension again? No can do, Mrs. Sandwich Pie." He snapped his fingers, and she disappeared in a flash of light.

With a sigh of relief, he wiped his brow. "Discord?" Fluttershy said, stepping from the hallway. "Did Zecora's cure work?"

"Like a charm," he said, twirling in place to show off his not-fluffy fur. "Thank you for the idea of inviting them to dinner. I wasn't sure what the best way to apologize would be."

"Did that go well, too?" she asked, flying over to him and placing a hoof on his paw.

"Oh, yes," he said. "Pinkie wasn't mad in the first place, and Rainbow...well, I think she might still be mad, but she's less mad now." He sighed. "I'll just have to remember to just accept her next prank with poise and dignity...as is in my nature," he said, putting a bright pink sticky note with writing in glitter pen onto his antler.

Fluttershy giggled and kissed his cheek. She yawned and glanced over at the clock. "Goodness, it's later than I thought," she said. "I think it's time to head to bed."

He scooped her into his arms bridal style. "Of course, my dear," he said, snapping his tail feathers and teleporting them both to their bedroom.

* * *

**Thank you to Eveeka for the idea for this chapter, and for this piece of art on DeviantArt:**

**/eveeka/art/MLP-FIM-Fluffy-boi-839360215**


	23. I'm Not Fluffy Again!

Discord sighed, leaning back against the edge of the tub and breathing the steam in deeply. He poured some more shampoo into his paw, lathering it into his mane and fur.

"Discord?" His ears perked up at the sound of Fluttershy's voice. "Are you still in the bath?"

"Yes," he said. "Can you blame me, though? This shampoo Rarity gave us is so nice!" He raised his paw to his nose and breathed deeply, taking in the scent of rose petals and lilac. It invoked memories of him burying his muzzle into Fluttershy's mane, inhaling the smell of spring she always seemed to carry naturally on her.

"It was a rather nice gift," Fluttershy said. "But please don't use it all up. I'd like to try some of it, too."

"Of course, of course," he answered, swirling the bottle in his paw and gauging how much he had used. _Enough that I should probably stop_, he thought. "I'll be out in a second!" He lathered the rest of the shampoo in his paw across his body, took in the scent a few more times, before letting a wave of bathwater rush over him and onto the floor, spilling suds everywhere.

After another minute of enjoying the heat of the bath and the lingering smell of shampoo, he groaned and rolled over the side of the tub, falling onto the rug underneath with a wet splat. He crawled onto his legs and arms and shook himself like a dog, drenching what wasn't already wet in the room.

Cracking his neck with the sound of a breaking window, he pulled the plug out of the bathtub. The water began to drain with a gurgling sound, a small vortex pulling in the water on the floor, walls, and ceiling. He snapped his fingers, and a fluffy neon yellow towel appeared, draped over his arm.

He began to rub himself dry, leaning over towards the sink and opening his mouth. A toothbrush, toothpaste, and brush appeared with a flash of light and began to clean his mouth, toothpaste dribbling from his jaw into the sink. After a minute of this, he spat it all out and pulled away, drying off his legs.

"I'm almost done!" he called to Fluttershy, drying off his wings with the towel. He shook himself one last time, tossing the towel to the side. He smiled and took a step towards the bathroom door.

_Poof!_

He froze in place at the sound, then slowly tilted his head downwards to look at himself. His entire coat, even the fur on his lion arm, had suddenly poofed up to several times its normal size. "Augh!" He whipped towards the mirror on the wall. Even the grey fur of his head had poofed up! "AUGH!"

From the bedroom, he heard the sound of a book being tossed aside. "Discord, what's wrong!?" Fluttershy shouted. He heard her hoofsteps quickly approaching.

Discord gasped and rushed over to the bathroom door, pressing himself against it and grabbing onto the doorknob to hold it shut. "Nothing's wrong!" he said. "Just...give me a minute!"

"What happened?" she asked again. She pushed on the door, but he pushed back. "Discord...I know that something's wrong if you won't let me in."

He flinched. "Gah…" He bit his lip, glancing around the room for anything that could help him. The comb, the hair gel, a razor...none of it would be enough to fix this in the next few seconds.

"Discord...you know you can tell me anything, right?"

His ears perked up, and his eyes widened at that statement. He lowered his head and let his hand slip off of the doorknob. He sighed. "I know," he said. "It's just...sometimes, I don't want you to see something about me. Remember when Rainbow and Pinkie used one of Zecora's potions on me?"

"The one that puffed up your fur?" she said. "Of course I remember. You were so fluffy…" She giggled.

A light blush appeared on his face, and he coughed. "Yeah, well…about that..." He carefully nudged the door open, stepping onto the threshold between bathroom and bedroom.

There were a few moments of silence, where Discord was twiddling his thumbs behind his back, watching her expression carefully. Slowly, a grin spread on her face, her eyes lighting up. As her grin widened, his blush deepened.

"Oh my Celestia," she said. "You're fluffy again! How did this happen?" She flew up, glancing up at him questioning, hooves reached towards him. He rolled his eyes, face still red, and opened his arms. She flew forward and buried herself in his chest fluff, wrapping her forehooves around him.

"I have no idea how this happened," he grunted, wrapping his arms around her. "Maybe Rarity played a trick on me. Put something in that shampoo."

"No, Rarity's not a prankster," Fluttershy mumbled, lifting her head out of his fluff. "And besides, she gifted the shampoo to both of us, not just to you."

"Hmm, true," he said, pulling at his beard. "It's not like her, and while I could understand her wanting some sort of revenge on me, I imagine she would do her best to make sure you were not caught in any sort of crossfire."

A lightbulb appeared above his head. He slid backwards into the bathroom with a screeching sound, stopping right next to the bathtub and wrapping his tail around the shampoo bottle. He brought it up to his chest, twisting it so he and Fluttershy could read it. "Perhaps there's some warning label: 'Do not use if you are a draconequus'," he said. "Or maybe Rarity just got it mixed up with some weird potion. It wouldn't be the first time."

She giggled, shifting in his grip so that she had one forehoof wrapped around him, the other free to grasp and point at the bottle. He adjusted his hold so that his lion paw was underneath her, his eagle talon cradling her against him. He held the bottle a little closer to her.

She placed a hoof on the bottle as she read the printed words. "Nom de Fantaisie Shampoo: Rose and Lilac Bliss," she said. "Extra—" She paused, then turned to hide her face in his chest, shaking.

"Fluttershy? What's—" he narrowed his eyes, squinting at where her hoof was pointing. "Extra volume." He looked down at her. "What's so funny about that?"

She chuckled, then looked up at him. "I'm not so sure it refers to how much is in the bottle…" she said with a giggle.

"...but to how it affects your mane," he said. He groaned, smacking himself in the face with a talon that sprouted out of his shoulder. "Rarity even said this brand is good for 'extra lift'! She _was_ trying to pull a trick on me!" He snapped his fingers, cameras appearing in the air and flashing pictures of them. "Oh, I'm sure she'll get a laugh out of this!"

"Discord, I'm sure Rarity didn't know this would happen," she said. "How much of this shampoo did you use?"

"Well…" he said, sloshing the liquid that was left in the bottle. It had been full before his bath, and now about a quarter of it was gone. "Quite a bit, I'd say."

"Hmm," she said, grabbing the bottle and twisting it so that they could both see the back. "Nom de Fantaisie Shampoo works with potion makers to make your mane magically fabulous," she read.

"Wait, what?" He placed a pair of reading glasses on his muzzle, leaning down to see where she was looking. Bold words on the back, in a bold box, caught his eye. He mumbled under his breath as he read the same thing she did, until he caught up.

"Due to this, be advised that using more than two teaspoons of Nom de Fantaisie Shampoo can lead to extreme effects. Please be advised and wash responsibly." He groaned, then tossed his reading glasses to the side. "So it's a potion again," he grumbled, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

"Is it, though?" Fluttershy asked. "I mean, Zecora's potion worked on you right away, but this shampoo didn't affect you until you got out of the bath. And only a little of Zecora's potion made your fur like this." She snuggled further into his chest.

"Hmm. That's a good point," he said. He ran a talon through his fur, then brought it up to his muzzle, his tongue quickly shooting out and licking it. "Mmm. Mmm?" he mumbled, swishing the taste around in his mouth.

"There's a little magic...definitly potion-based magic," he said. "But it's very, very faint. Probably weak enough that my magic could get rid of it through brute force." He smiled. "I don't have to look ridiculously fluffy!"

"Oh," Fluttershy said. "That's good. Can you just...wait a few more seconds?" She snuggled even closer to his chest, burying her face and hooves in his fur.

He dropped the bottle of shampoo next to the bathtub and looked down at her. Even through his thick fluff, he could see that she was smiling. He gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him.

"Well, I suppose a night like this wouldn't hurt anything," he said. "There's no one else here, after all, and since you're enjoying this so much…"

She giggled, and he could see a light blush on her face. "J-just a little bit," she said. "Sorry, you're just so...cozy and cute." He chuckled and kicked off of the ground, floating back into the bedroom.

"N-not that you aren't cozy and cute normally!" she quickly said, pulling away to look up at him. "I just meant...even more than usual."

He chuckled again as he pulled back the sheets and laid down. "I know, sweet Fluttershy." He kissed her forehead. "I think you're cozy and cute, too."

She buried her face back into his fur, this time to hide the bright red blush on her face. "Goodnight, my dear. I love you," he said, pulled the blankets back over them and fluffing her pillow with his magic.

"I love you too," she said with a yawn, ignoring her fluffed pillow and using him instead. He chuckled lightly, adjusting his grip on her. He closed his eyes and relaxed, focusing on Fluttershy's warm breath caressing his chest and flowing through his fur.

* * *

By the time they woke up in the morning, Discord's fur had flattened. It was still frizzier than normal, but it wasn't as fluffy as it had been initially. After a long time brushing it down after breakfast, his fur had flattened down to its normal state. And a little bit of magic was enough to make sure it would stay that way.

The morning passed uneventfully for the most part. Fluttershy was kept busy at the sanctuary all day with major, though not urgent, projects and tasks, while Discord roamed around Equestria, herding small rogue storms away from cities, and popping in to make sure Fluttershy wasn't overworking herself.

But while he presented her with a picnic lunch that he had made for them, Rarity entered the sanctuary, holding a white envelope in her magic. "D-Discord?" she said. "You sent me this late last night, and..." She placed a hoof to her mouth, shaking as she placed the envelope in his paw.

"I don't remember mailing something," he said as he opened it and grabbed the contents. He pulled out several photographs and fanned them out—and saw that they were different angles of him, Fluttershy, and his ridiculously fluffy fur. "Oh..." He blushed and looked at Rarity over the photos.

Suddenly, she burst out laughing, tears streaming down her face. "W-why in the world were you so fluffy?" she asked between gasps for breath, slowly bending over as she continued to laugh.

Discord blushed. "I...that shampoo did this," he mumbled. "And I thought you were playing a trick on me to laugh at me, so I..." His blush turned a deeper red, and he fluffed up his chest and scrunched his neck to hide in his fur. "I sent you photos so you could laugh at my expense," he grumbled.

Rarity continued to laugh, Fluttershy giggling a little before flying over and hugging him. "You didn't think it through much, did you?" she said teasingly.

"No..." he mumbled, sinking further into his fur. She giggled again, rubbing a hoof through his mane.

Rarity laughed for the next few minutes, kneeling on the ground and gasping for breath in between laughs. Eventually, her laughter died down, and she wiped tears out of her eyes. "Ah ha ha," she gasped. "Thank you for that, Discord. I really needed a laugh."

"And that was thanks to that shampoo, you say?" she asked. Fluttershy nodded since Discord was still busy hiding his face in his fur. "Hmmm. Fluffy coats might be an interesting new style for the season...I suppose I also have to thank you for the inspiration."

"Well, I won't keep you any longer, darling," she said. "I must get back to work. I truly do appreciate the joy you've given me in this busy time. I just wanted to return those photographs to you. Have a lovely day!" She walked back towards Ponyville, still giggling to herself a little.

"Oh, I know what to do with these," Discord said, snapping a lighter into his paw and flicking it on. But before he could bring the flame to the photographs, Fluttershy snatched them out of his hands.

"For me?" she said. "For the memory museum?"

He frowned, mouth curving into twisting lines. "Alright, fine," he said, snapping his fingers. A portal opened up in front of them, showing glass cases that displayed items, images playing on the panes. He stretched his arm like rubber to grab a scrapbook, reeling it back over to them and flinging it open to an empty page. "Plop 'em in."

She smiled and put them in, and he carefully floated the book back through the portal to its original spot. He zipped the portal closed and turned to Fluttershy. "Now, I think we've put lunch off long enough!"

* * *

At the end of the day, they were both quite tired, so they decided to go to bed right after dinner. Discord was currently curled under the sheets, holding a book upside down, and glancing every so often and the closed bathroom door. "You haven't fallen asleep in the tub, have you?" he called.

"No, Discord," Fluttershy said. "I'll be out in...just a minute." She yawned. "I just need to get this mud out..."

He grunted and turned his attention back to his book. He still kept one ear up, listening as she splashed around in the tub. _If it goes quiet in there, I'm barging in, _he thought._ She seemed exhausted..._

The bathroom did not go silent. There were a few more small splashes, then one large one, then the sound of wet hooves padding on the tile floor. He snapped his fingers, creating a fluffy towel in front of where he guessed she was.

"Eep!" she cried. "O-oh, thank you, Discord." Some shuffling, probably as she dried herself off. Discord lowered his ear and set his book on the nightstand and laid his head on the pillow, tail wagging as he waited for her to emerge.

After about three more minutes, the door finally opened, releasing a puff of steam and a lovely pegasus. She smiled and him and approached, climbing onto the bed. She leaned forward and pecked him on the lips. "You didn't have to wait," she said. "I know you're tired, too."

"And let you fall asleep in the tub again?" he huffed, kissing the top of her head and laying his chin there. "No, I'd rather stay up an extra minute or so to make sure you're safe."

"That only happened once," she said. "And I'm not nearly as tired today as I was then. Besides, how many times have you slept in the tub?"

"Oh please, that's different. I have my magic to keep me safe!" He said, pulling his muzzle reluctantly away. His nose twitched as a caught a waft of rose petals and lilac. "I see you used that shampoo," he said. "Even after everything that I went through because of it."

She smiled, looking down as she started to crawl under the blankets. "Well, you did say it was nice...aside from your side effect. And I didn't use as much as you did, so I don't think my coat will puff up like that."

"A bold statement," he said, rubbing his hands together quickly, static snapping between them. He quickly reached out with his claw, buzzing with static, and lightly tapped the top of Fluttershy's head.

_Poof!_

Fluttershy suddenly disappeared under a ball of yellow fur, its top and back accented with stripes of pink. The ball shifted, and two wide, teal eyes stared at him. He grinned, and the eyes narrowed.

"Very funny, Discord," she said dryly.

"Yes, it is," he said, snickering. "C'mon, dear. I've gone through this twice, and you've enjoyed it both times. Let me have a little fun." He made a camera in his paws and snapped a photo of her, sending it to the memory museum with a flick of his wrist.

She sighed, but smiled softly. "I guess you're right," she said, shifting a little closer to him.

He scooped her up into his arms, pressing her against his chest and nuzzling his cheek against the top of her head. "So soft..." he sighed, chuckling a little under his breath. He lifted his head and looked her in the eyes, clasping his hands over her cheeks. "And so cute!"

He could faintly see a tiny blush on her cheeks, and she giggled a little. The giggles soon gave way to a yawn, and her eyelids began to droop.

"Ah...you're exhausted!" he said. "Forgive me for keeping you up, dearest. I should let you sleep." He pulled back her blankets and tucked her in, laying her head gently down on a pillow.

"No...it's fine," she said quietly. "And it was kind of funny..." Another yawn. "We can cuddle, if you want..."

"I'd love that," he said, wrapping his arms around her and burying himself in her fur. It almost completely enveloped him, since he had puffed it up to such a ridiculous volume. He took a deep breath, smelling the shampoo, as well as a hint of other spring scents that his Fluttershy carried naturally. "Good night, Flutters. I love you."

"Night. Love you too," she mumbled. She quickly fell asleep, which he could hear in her breathing and heartbeat. He snuggled closer to her, allowing his eyes to drift closed as he felt her soft fur brushing against his face, arms, and chest. With a large yawn, he soon followed her in unconsciousness.


	24. A Real Date

Fluttershy and Discord were sitting on a bench in the middle of Ponyville, watching creatures go by and enjoying the feeling of warm sun on their fur. Fluttershy smiled and shifted closer to Discord, wrapping a forehoof around him. He draped an arm over her shoulders, pulling her closer.

He snapped his fingers, and they were both holding ice cream cones. She licked at her mint chip one, while he nibbled at his orange peel-caramel swirl scoop. "Thank you, Discord," she said. "It was nice to have lunch in town."

He shrugged. "Well, you mentioned liking that place the other day. I figured I should treat you."

She giggled. "You're always treating me to something! Is that what you have to say about us visiting the New Golden Oaks Library?"

"Nah," he said. "I just wanted to check it out, and having you with me was a good excuse." She laughed and poked him in the side, and he ruffled her mane playfully.

The sound of hoofsteps approaching made them stop playing and glance up. Rainbow Dash was approaching them, a wide grin on her face. "Wow," she said, "I mean, you guys act cutesy all the time, but I think this is the first time in a while I've seen you on a real date."

Fluttershy and Discord both tilted their heads. "What do you mean, a _real_ date?" Discord asked, licking at his ice cream.

"You know! Just going out, doing stuff together," Rainbow said. "Dedicating a block of time to each other, and not just happening to be together when you're doing something else."

Fluttershy licked at her ice cream, glancing up at Discord, who she could feel shaking next to her. "And how else would you define a...real date?" he asked, his smile a hair too wide.

Rainbow didn't notice, as she put a hoof to her chin in thought. "Um...well, AJ and I aren't big on mushy stuff. But I think most couples have dinner a lot?" She nodded to herself. "Yeah. Fancy dinners with candles, getting all dressed up, sharing a dance...all that romance jazz."

Discord froze up, then quickly stood up straight. "Fluttershy, when was the last time we had a date night like that?" he said in a thin, hushed voice.

She gulped, carefully reaching out to him. "Discord..."

"It's been...a few moons, at least," he muttered. "I'm so sorry, my dear! I promised you I'd cherish you, give you everything, but I can't even remember to arrange romantic evenings for us!"

"Discord, please, calm down," she said, gently touching his paw.

His eyes gleamed. "Well, no longer!" he declared. "I shall give my darling wife the best, most romantic date of her life!" With that, he disappeared in a flash of light, his ice cream cone falling to the ground.

She glared at Rainbow. "Now look what you've done!" she scolded. "You've convinced him he's done something wrong, and now he's going to beat himself up over it!"

Rainbow's head drooped. "Sorry, Fluttershy," she sighed. "I just wanted to say how good you two look together. I guess my mouth got away from my brain again." Her ears drooped. "Heh. I was just telling AJ I was getting better at not doing that. Is there...any way I can make it up to you two?"

Fluttershy sighed, her ears drooping. "No, I...I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just hate seeing Discord act like this, worrying and working himself to the bone." She rubbed at her temples. "I'll talk to him soon, after he has some time to calm down." She shifted over, patting the space on the bench beside her. "How are you and Applejack doing?"

Rainbow's head lifted, her eyes lighting up as she took a seat and began to chatter about her wife. Fluttershy smiled.

* * *

After a nice chat with Rainbow, she had gone to the animal sanctuary. Each of the portals was open, but covered by a large "Do Not Disturb" sign, each of which showed a different picture of Discord: him cooking something, sleeping in bed, or holding out a bouquet of roses, to name a few.

She sighed and turned away from the portals, spending the afternoon checking up on all of her animals. As the sun started to set, all of the signs disappeared in a flash, and a golden envelope appeared in front of her. She plucked it out of the air and opened it, pulling out a golden card with silver, cursive writing.

_Dear, Sweet Fluttershy,_

_Please come home as soon as possible. I promise you that there, you shall have the time of your life. Prepare yourself, my dear, for a most romantic evening, carefully prepared by your charming husband._

_I'll see you soon, my love._

_Hugs and Kisses,_

_Discord._

She smiled, tucking the card back into its envelope and flying through the portal. She opened the front door, only to find the inside very dimly lit, and a trail of glowing rose petals leading to the kitchen.

"Discord?" she called, setting the card on a side table. He didn't respond, but the light of the petals flashed. With a soft sigh, she followed the path into the kitchen.

The room was completely unrecognizable. Counters and cabinets had disappeared in favor of framed photographs of their wedding and previous dates. The walls were now a light, uniform shade of pink, with red hearts scattered about randomly. A crystal chandelier hung above a round wooden table with mismatched legs. Two tall candles were lit in the center of the table, and off to the side was a floating violin playing soft music.

Discord stood at the end of the petal trail, wringing his hands together with a wide grin on his face. He was wearing a sky blue tuxedo with an electric green tie. She saw him snap his tail feathers, and felt something drape over her. She glanced down at herself and saw a shimmering, forest green dress.

She slowly approached Discord, who bowed at the waist. "My lady," he purred, kissing her hoof. "Allow me to welcome you to La Maison du Chaos."

She blushed, glancing away. "Discord, you..."

"I know, I've outdone myself!" he said with a beam, offering her his arm. She looped her foreleg through it, and fluttered her wings as he escorted her to the table. He let go of her to pull her chair out from her, gently pushing her back in before taking his own seat opposite her.

"You look lovely tonight, my dear," he said as the wine glasses in front of them began to fill with ice water. He snapped his fingers, and covered dishes appeared in front of them. Another snap, and the covers lifted before disappearing.

Both of them had a large, steaming haysteak, with a size of glazed carrots and romaine lettuce with radish slices. "I hope you enjoy the selection tonight," he said. "If not, I can always change it."

"No, it looks delicious," she said, taking a bite of carrot. He smiled and began to saw at his haysteak. For the next few moments, the only sounds were their utensils scraping against their plates and the violin playing some romantic piece. She glanced up at him, only to see he was blatantly staring at her. She blushed and looked back down at her plate.

He gulped, sighed, and set down his silverware. "Fluttershy, is...is everything alright? You look unhappy." He glanced around the room. "Is the decor too much? I can change it to something a little more subtle..."

She sighed. "It's not that. Everything looks lovely, and this was very kind of you to do, but...Discord, you really didn't have to do all of this."

"Oh, but I wanted to!" he said, gently cupping her hoof in his hands.

She gave him a stern look. "Did you want to because you want us to both be happy, or did you want to do it to prove to yourself that you're a good husband? Or to Rainbow Dash that you can act romantically?"

He grunted, letting go of her hoof to twiddle his fingers. "...A little from column A, a little by column B," he muttered.

She sighed and reached across the table, placing her hoof on his shoulder. "Discord, you are a _great_ husband. Every day, you make me happy. Do I need to remind you of everything you've done for me? Making me breakfast in bed, showing me so many wonderful things, caring for me when I'm sick?"

"Discord, you make me feel loved. You don't need to act by any creature's opinion on what romance should be." She let her hoof slide down onto the top of his paw. "And you don't need to do anything to try to impress me. You know I love you."

He was quiet for a moment, silently setting his claw on top of her hoof. "...I've messed up, haven't I?" he sighed. "I was so worried that I was somehow failing you as a husband that I immediately left you alone and didn't say anything to you until now." He pressed his face into his hands. "Sweet chaos, I was so concerned with making things perfect for you I ended up abandoning you."

She quickly flew around the table and hugged him around the neck. "Sweetie, it's okay," she said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I understood why you did it. You had the best intentions, and you did plan a lovely evening for us." She kissed his cheek. "I just don't want you to feel pressured to do anything for me."

He sighed and leaned into her chest. "I'm sorry. We were having such a lovely morning, but what Rainbow said just got to me, and..."

"She says she's sorry, by the way," she murmured. "She was just trying to say we looked good together, and didn't word it well."

He smiled. "As always, you have calmed my worries." He kissed her neck. "I don't suppose I could turn this fancy dinner into a thank-you celebration? Or would you prefer something else?"

She nuzzled his cheek. "No, the dinner is nice. Could I have some chocolate milk instead of water, though?" He snapped his fingers, and both of their glasses were full of chocolate milk. She sat back in her seat and began to eat again.

"So how did you come up with these ideas?" she asked, taking a sip of milk. "The decorations, the music...this food?"

"Oh, I based it on some of our past dates, and just cranked it up to eleven," he said as he leaned back in his chair. "This dish, though? Straight from a popular romantic restaurant in Canterlot. This dish and these sides are some of their most popular choices."

He sipped at his drink. "...Incidentally, I may or may not have been banned from a restaurant for sneaking into the back and looking at their recipes." She snorted, spitting out the lettuce she was eating. She covered her mouth with a blush, still laughing.

He joined in her laughter, and they kept laughing until they were leaning on the table, tears streaming down their faces. They finally managed to catch their breath, looking at the other with red faces. Discord giggled. "I love you." She smiled brightly.

He appeared next to her, holding out his paw. "Dinner can wait for a moment. Take my paw, my darling, and we shall dance through the stars!"

She giggled as she took his paw. "There are no stars here! The sun hasn't even set in Equestria!" He smirked and snapped his fingers, and green, glowing, plastic stars floated around them as the room itself dimmed. She smiled and shook her head, fluttering her wings as he floated upwards.

They twirled in the air, the violin music becoming louder as the rest of the world seemed to melt away. She wrapped one hoof around his neck, the other held in his paw, while his claw lay at her waist. He led her in a few spins and dips, even tossing her into the air before catching her one time, but seemed content to simply glide about the room with her for the most part.

Discord's stomach suddenly gurgled. He grimaced, and she giggled. "Maybe we should continue dinner," she suggested, touching her nose against his for a brief second. He sighed and let go of her, slowly drifting back down into his chair.

They continued eating, chattering about how their afternoons went. After a conversation about how Angel's children were doing and how he had snuck into Canterlot castle to find a good chandelier design, their plates were polished clean.

Discord snapped his fingers, and the table was bare, aside from the candles. "I'll take care of them once I bring the sink back," he told her. He rubbed at the back of his neck. "After this, I had kind of planned to serve a really rich chocolate cake. Complete the whole 'fancy dinner' shtick."

"But I just remembered...we never finished our ice cream earlier, did we? After I left you so rudely." He held his hands out, weighing the options. "Which would you prefer?"

She smiled. "Ice cream sounds nice." He snapped his fingers, and they were both holding ice cream cones. She licked her scoop, flavored chocolate with a caramel swirl, while his was a uniform pink color. He licked it, glancing around the room in thought.

He snapped his fingers again, and the two of them appeared outside of their house, on a wooden bench. A school of flying sharks passed them as they continued eating their ice cream. "This is much better," he said, lopping an arm over her shoulders.

"Yes," she sighed, leaning into his shoulder as fireworks began exploding in the sky above them. They watched the show for a while, before he moved onto creating and sculpting clouds for her entertainment. He snuck a bite out of her cone, and she immediately responded by licking his.

"Is that...strawberries and cotton candy?" she asked. When he nodded, she continued, "It's not bad. You'll have to make it for me sometime."

She snuggled closer to him, continuing to eat her cone. They stayed pressed against each other long after they had finished their desserts, watching the skies of Chaosville twist around, changing slowly into a darker shade of purple.


	25. Boredom and Distractions

The study in Fluttershy and Discord's home was rarely used. It had taken her some time to convince him of the importance of holding onto "boring" files in case they were needed in the future, and to have a space to fill them all out. He had relented, but only if he could add his own flair to the room.

Which was why each wall was a different color, each of them pastel and easy on the eyes, why the chair could transform into any type of chair you wanted with the press of a button, why the desk was ornately carved and almost as big as a table, and why there was a vending machine pressed flush against the filing cabinets.

But even if it wasn't used often, there were times that called for its use.

Fluttershy sighed, pulling another sheet of paper off of a very large stack next to her. She glanced at all the numbers on it, then at the tall stack of blank forms, and finally at the very, very small pile of papers she had filled out. Biting back a groan, she took her quill in her mouth and began to fill in all the blank spots on the paper.

When she was halfway done, she heard Discord teleport behind her. She carefully tossed the quill aside and away from the papers, just as he planted his hands on her shoulders.

"Fluttershy!" he exclaimed. "I just found a new cave in of Chaosville, a bit north-south of here. Let's go spelunking! The day is young!"

She sighed, leaning her head back against his chest. "Discord...I'd love to, but I can't. You know how I'm going to a convention for sanctuary owners soon?" He nodded. "Well, the last time I went, I was completely shocked by everything I needed to go to make my sanctuary...well, official."

She gestured to the paperwork. "Besides the expenses I need to list, along with earned donations, I have to fill out insurance forms for multiple types of weather, state which animals have been taken in and released, what new projects have been build since last time, signed forms from anyone who's helped at the sanctuary...and so on."

He gawked at the pile. "That looks...incredibly boring. And somewhat pointless, considering that I can magically enchant any protection and undo any damage, plus create any supplies and structures you need."

She sighed. "I know. But they don't list 'Lord of Chaos' as an insurance provider, unfortunately." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I have to fill out a few extra forms to explain what I mean by 'other' as my insurance. I actually need you to sign a few forms for that...and ones for when you helped at the sanctuary." She reached into one of the drawers of the desk and handed him several pieces of paper and turned back to her work.

He whined. "But...don't you want to go have some _fun_, instead?"

"I don't like it any more than you do, Discord," she said, continuing to fill out a form. "But it's something that needs to be done. Honestly, I shouldn't have waited this late to do it all." She finished the form, and grabbed the next one. "You can go spelunking without me. This is going to take a while."

He stepped back a bit as she started filling out the next form. He watched her for a few moments, going through such a dull routine, before he couldn't stand the sight and averted his eyes, snapping his fingers to teleport away.

* * *

It was close to noon. Discord was pacing back at forth along the trunk of his thinking tree. After scrawling his signature on the forms she had given him and teleporting them back to her, he was at a loss as to what he should do. He had considered exploring the cave by himself, as Fluttershy suggested, but then he wouldn't get to see her face when she saw the declaration of love he had carved just inside the entrance.

He had found other ways to pass the time, from checking on Fluttershy's animals to reading a few books, but his mind just kept drifting to his poor wife, doing such dull work. He groaned and draped himself over one of the tree branches.

"What could I do to help her?" he mused. "I'm terrible with paperwork. Just the thought of it..." He shuddered, his tongue sticking out of his mouth. "Ugh, no. There must be some other way I can be helpful." He tapped his chin, and after a few moments, a lit oil lamp appeared above his head.

He snapped his fingers, and a platter of cucumber sandwiches and a glass of lemonade appeared in his paw. With another snap, he was back in the study, where Fluttershy was still hard at work. The pile of blank papers seemed to be getting smaller, but was still quite large.

"Fluttershy," he said quietly. "I brought you lunch."

She jolted a little, like she hadn't realized he was there. She glanced back at him, and the smile he wore drooped when he saw how tired her eyes seemed. "Hmm?" she said, gazing in his direction lazily. He held the platter out to her, before carefully floating it onto the desk.

"Oh, lunch!" she said, the light coming back into her eyes, her stomach growling. "Thank you, Discord. I didn't realize how hungry I was getting." She bit into a sandwich, smiling at him with her cheeks bulged out, before turning back and writing on her papers again.

He groaned. "Sweetheart, shouldn't you take a break? Even just to eat lunch?"

She shook her head and swallowed her sandwich. "I don't have time for a break. A form can take one to ten minutes to fill out, depending on what I have to reference. If they all take ten minutes, or more," she glanced warily at the pile. "I won't be able to finish this today."

He sighed, ears and limbs dropping limply. "I understand," he muttered. Then, his face lit up, a candle appearing on his head. "Actually, what if I did something to help you to relax while you're working?"

She paused in her writing. "...Okay," she said. "You can try. But you have to promise to stop if I say it's too distracting."

He smiled, placing a paw to his chest. "I promise." With that said, he placed his hands on her shoulders as she bent down to write, gently kneading at her skin. She shivered with a soft sigh, almost dropping her quill, but managed to hold on and continue writing.

This continued for a few more minutes. Fluttershy nibbled at her sandwiches and sipped her lemonade, slowly working her way through each sheet of paper, while Discord continued his massage. After some time kneading her shoulders, he started to move down her back, rubbing her muscles in a circular motion.

It was when he had just gotten to her wings, and had spread one out to pinch and rub at the joint, when she quietly said, "Stop, please." He froze and slowly pulled away, and she tucked her wing back against her body.

She lowered her head, ears flattening against her head. "It feels nice, but it's too distracting," she said around the quill. "Could you please leave? We can have dinner together later."

He tilted his head, frowning. "My dear, I understand the massage being distracting, but I can think of something else that's less—"

Suddenly, she dropped the quill and whipped around, pressing her lips against his. "—Mmf," he finished. With a groan from the back of her throat, she wrapped her hooves around his neck, pressing her closer to him. With a sigh, he allowed himself to be pulled closer, his eyes drifting shut as she moved her smooth lips against his own.

After several long, amazing seconds, she pulled away from him, gasping for breath, her eyes wide and shining. He opened his eyes, not gasping, but still taking deep breaths. With a breathless voice, she whispered, "You're the distraction." She nuzzled the side of his face. "The best distraction. I could spend all day like this..."

He moved to nuzzle her in turn, but she pulled away and gave him a look. He paused for a second, before his eyes caught on the stack of papers and widened. "Oh!" he said. "Oh, oh, oh...I'm sorry." He set her back in her chair and took a few steps back. "Enjoy your lunch. I'll see you at dinner."

He snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

He managed to stay out of the study for the whole afternoon. Once six o'clock came around, he flashed over to the kitchen. Fluttershy wasn't there. With a sigh, he snapped his fingers, creating a cauldron of hot soup, sitting on a small flame on the stove, and two large plates appeared on the table—one with a normal salad, the other with receipts and paper clips. Narrowing his eyes, he added chocolate shakes to both places at the table.

Nodding to himself, he snapped his fingers again, teleporting in front of the mahogany door to the study. He lightly knocked at it, and after a few seconds, he heard a shuffling sound, followed by soft hoofsteps. She opened the door and looked up at him with tired eyes.

"It's past six," he said. "I know the paperwork is important, but you've been in here all day. You should set work aside for now and take a break."

She blinked for a few seconds, then smiled tiredly. "I'm almost done, anyway," she said, opening the door a little further. It was true, as only a few more forms were sitting in the blank pile. "I can finish them up after supper."

He smiled and offered her his arm, escorting her as he snapped them to the kitchen. She smiled when she saw her salad and shake, and eagerly dug into her meal. "And there's soup when you're done with that," he said between a mouthful of paper and metal.

Dinner was a quiet affair, as she was tired and seemed uninterested in talking. He was more than happy to oblige, simply enjoying his meal and making sure she didn't start using her salad or soup as a pillow. After the meal, complete with a bowl of ice cream for each of them, she slowly got out of her chair. He quickly got up and rushed to her side, but she just smiled and brushed at his mane.

"I'm fine," she said. "I just have a few more forms to fill out, and then I'll lie down." He sighed and snapped his fingers, teleporting them to the study. She settled herself on the chair, adjusting a lever to make herself more comfortable. He went over to the vending machine and dispensed a can of strawberry milk, watching as she wrote on the last few pieces of paper.

With a sigh, she set the last one aside. "Done," she said quietly. She turned to Discord, a soft smile on her face. "I'll lie down for a bit, right after I put this stack away." She opened a drawer on the filing cabinet next to him...and her face fell, her eyes widening.

"What's wrong?" he asked as the pile floated itself into the drawer.

Carefully, she pulled something out of the drawer: another large stack of papers. "This is for the sanctuary, too..." she said with a whimper. The new pile floated over onto the desk.

She whimpered again, her ears pressing flat against her head. With a moan, she pressed a hoof to her forehead. "That first stack took me all day to finish! If I don't start this one now—!" She rushed towards the chair, but Discord slid in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"No," he said sternly. "You have worked on this all day. I'm not going to let you work on it all night, too."

"But—"

"It will still be there in the morning," he said, still in a stern voice. The worry in her eyes made him soften his voice and continue, "And if you stop right now and go to bed, eat a decent breakfast in the morning, and let me pack you a lunch...I'll leave you alone with your paperwork all day."

She pursed her lips together into a frown. With a whimper, she nodded, letting herself fall limply into his arms. He cradled her gently against his chest, flying to their bedroom. Her head lay weakly against him, her eyes already fluttering closed as she let out a tiny yawn.

She only stirred briefly when he tucked her under the covers, moaning softly and reaching towards him. He kissed her cheek, and she sighed and snuggled into her pillow with a smile. He smiled, pulling the covers up to her chin and stroking her mane gently.

With a sigh, he glanced at his side of the bed. He shook his head and turned away, tiptoeing out of the room before snapping his fingers and teleporting back to the study.

He flipped through the first few papers that were on the top of the pile, biting back a groan. He stretched his arm towards the vending machine and pulled out a steaming mug of coffee, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of cinnamon.

He took a sip of the bitter drink, poured in a bottle of chocolate syrup, and set it aside before turning back to the papers, cracking his knuckles.

* * *

Fluttershy slowly blinked awake, stretching out with a yawn. She smiled sleepily as she blinked awake, but frowned with a soft groan when she remembered the mound of papers she had to do today.

She glanced over at Discord's side of the bed. To her surprise, he was missing. _He must be in the kitchen_, she thought. She crawled out of bed and headed to her kitchen. That room was almost empty.

_That's odd, _she thought with a frown. _I wanted to at least say 'Good morning' before I had to start working._ With a sigh and shake of her head, she grabbed an apple from the fridge and ate it. After that, and waiting a few more minutes to see if Discord would show up, she sighed and walked towards the study.

She opened the door, but froze in the doorway. Discord was fast asleep, his cheek pressed against the desk as he snored away. She carefully approached him, avoiding the numerous empty mugs that were scattered across the floor. Once she was close enough, she saw that there was a quill tightly gripped in his claw, and both of his palms were stained with ink.

Realization hit her, and she looked at the stack of papers next to him. The first was completed—with correct information, she noted. She flipped through a few of the others and saw they were all filled out with correct information.

With a gasp and smile, she wrapped her hooves around his neck and nuzzled the side of his face. "Oh, you," she said into his ear. "You wonderful, wonderful..." She kissed his cheek.

He shifted in her hooves, slowly blinking awake. She continued nuzzling him and kissing his cheek until he was awake enough to respond with his own kiss on her cheek.

"I take it you already figured out I..." he muttered. She nodded eagerly.

"Sweetie, were you up all night? You didn't have to...!"

He held a claw up. "Please. Like I was going to let you shut yourself up in one room for another day."

She nuzzled his cheek again, before pulling away and placing her hooves on his shoulders, looking him in the eye. "Are you feeling alright? Doing something orderly like that..."

He waved it off. "Eh, the room's chaotic enough, especially with all the coffee cups scattered around." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Also, a lot of the papers might be out of order..."

She shook her head, but smiled. "Oh, Discord." She wrapped her hooves around him, leaning against his torso. "Well, even if you feel fine...we should have a chaotic day together, just to be safe." She looked up and winked at him. "I think you mentioned a new cave?"

He smiled. "Yes...but you can't start a chaotic day without a full stomach of chaotic breakfast!" He snapped his fingers and teleported the two of them to the kitchen, leaving the tall stack of papers behind on the desk.


	26. A Most Chaotic Day

As soon as they appeared in the kitchen, Discord snapped his fingers. Tall stacks of pancakes appeared at both of their places at the table. He pulled her chair out for her, nuzzling her cheek before teleporting into his chair. He quickly began snarfing down his pancakes.

She followed his example and began to dig in. Her nose scrunched up for a second as she took a bite of two different pancakes. One tasted like oranges, and the other like green tea. She carefully took another bite, and now that she was expecting the odd flavor combination...it wasn't that bad.

Discord shoveled three pancakes down his throat, then asked, "Is it good?" She nodded, taking a bite from lower down in the stack. Strawberries and chocolate chips.

He hummed in thought for a second before snapping his fingers again. With a flash of light, tall, oddly-shaped glasses of chocolate milk appeared in front of them, complete with bendy straws. As she sipped at the sugary drink, he snapped his fingers again, and an apple appeared in front of her—shaped like a cartoonish heart.

She giggled and took a bite out of the fruit, while he summoned himself a square-shaped orange. They ate for a while, more pancakes appearing from nowhere as he summoned even more unusual fruits, until they leaned back in their chairs, their plates and glasses emptied.

Discord sat up and teleported next to her. "Would you like to go spelunking, finally?" he said, offering her his arm. She smiled and nodded, looping her foreleg around his elbow. He snapped his fingers, and the plates and glasses flew off of the table and smashed to the floor, while brooms and dustpans appeared and started sweeping up the mess.

With another snap of his fingers, they appeared at the mouth of a dark cave, just off-center on a small, floating patch of earth. He released his hold on her and began snapping his fingers in a steady rhythm, new things appearing on her body with each flash.

First, a teal helmet appeared on her head, situating itself snugly against her skull. A light on top flickered on, casting a pale pink light. Next, pads strapped themselves onto her knees, then pillows onto her wings. A harness and rope appeared around her waist, and it cinched itself snugly into her coat.

She glanced up and saw Discord wearing a similar harness, which the other end of the rope was attached to. He tightened the strap of a neon-rainbow helmet on his head, before bending down and checking the straps under her chin.

"Discord," she said quietly, "Aren't the pillows a bit much?"

He scoffed. "Keeping you safe from any scrapes is never too much!" He cupped his hand under her chin a second longer before pulling away and checking her harness.

"But Discord, I can't use my wings like this."

"I'll be your wings."

She shook her head. "But...isn't all this going against a most chaotic day?" She felt his hands freeze. "If you're just looking out for me, and we're not adventuring together...how can we be chaotic together?"

He paused. The pillows deflated like balloons, falling limply to the ground. "I suppose you're right," he said, floating in front of her, kissing her cheek as he passed.

"Are you ready to go exploring, my lady?" he said, tightening the harness around his torso. She smiled and nodded, and the two of them stepped towards the mouth of the cave.

The floor was smooth, though it sloped gently downwards. They walked further in, Discord opening his palm to release tiny globes of golden light that lit their path.

It wasn't long before they reached a great chasm, deep and dark. He flicked his paw, and the globes of light floated across, lighting up the flat stone wall on the other side. Words were deeply etched into it, embedded with glittering gems.

_My dear Fluttershy, I'm glad you agreed to this trip. I love you more than anything in the universe, which is why I hope you enjoy our little trip to the deepest parts of this cavern. I wish for nothing more than for you to be happy._ There was a heart at the end, filled with rubies.

She lifted a hoof to her heart. "Oh...is this why you wanted me to come with you?" He nodded, blushing. She smiled and flew up to lightly peck his cheek. "You're too sweet."

His blush started to actually glow, casting a dim light on the stone walls. The golden globes turned a slight shade of pink. With a cough, he lightly tugged on the rope that was connecting them. It held taut, and he nodded in satisfaction.

"Ready?" he asked. She nodded, peering warily down the dark chasm. The light globes hovered downwards and spread apart, lighting a large portion of the gap.

"Together?" he said. She nodded again, approaching the cliff carefully. He snapped his tail feathers, and suction cups appeared on his hands and her front hooves.

With a deep breath, she slowly walked backward, using her wings to hover in the air over the edge.

Discord, also hovering, quickly dropped down and attached himself to the wall. She followed at a slower pace, carefully placing her suction cups on the stone. She glanced over at him, placing her back hooves into convenient cracks in the wall and nodding.

With a smile, he carefully moved down—one hand at a time, his legs moving with each hand. She followed his motion two hooves at a time.

They quietly continued straight down the wall, slowly and steadily.

* * *

They reached the bottom of the flat wall and found a winding tunnel filled with stalagmites, stalactites, and elegantly carved pillars. Large gems stuck out of the walls, glittering under the light of the globes.

Discord snapped away the suction cups, and they walked down the tunnel, chatting about various topics, from the books they were reading, to how the sanctuary and Celestia were doing.

After some minutes of walking, turning left and right, up and down, they came to a perfectly square room made out of a shiny black stone.

"Odd," Discord said. "This is unnatural...almost orderly." He carefully stuck out his dragon toe, lightly tapping the stone floor before yanking it away.

"Is it...too orderly?" she asked, a little worried. "After all the order you dealt with last night..."

He stroked his beard. "It's out of place enough that I should be fine. Besides, we just need to get to the other side."

With a deep breath, he stepped into the room...and froze. Quickly, she rushed forward, looking up at him...and also stopped.

The room, even though it looked perfectly still, was vibrating. As soon as her hooves touched the floor, the vibration traveled up her body. It was...strange, to say the least. It felt like her skeleton was shaking right under her skin.

"L-l-let's get out of here," she said, teeth shivering in her mouth. He swiftly nodded, and they rushed to the other side of the room, their hoofsteps echoing loudly against the black walls.

As soon as they were in the tunnel again, they breathed a sigh of relief. "That was...odd," she said, shivering.

He nodded. "I wasn't expecting that. I hope that there aren't any [i]dangerous[/i] random rooms." Under his breath, he muttered, "I should have checked this place before I brought you down here."

She took hold of his paw, smiling up at him. "I know you'll keep me safe," she said. "Besides, isn't it more fun to experience this together?"

He paused for a second, then smiled and nodded. They continued down the tunnel, still chatting happily as they continued.

* * *

Hours passed by, the tunnel turning in impossible directions. There were parts with sheer flat walls that went up or down, which they scaled as easily as the first one, and several other random rooms that appeared along their path.

There was a room where gravity suddenly inverted, and they had to walk across the ceiling. Discord had to catch her in his arms, as she was so surprised by the sudden flip. There was another room that looked just like a forest clearing, complete with thick foliage, birdsong, and a bright blue sky. Some investigation revealed the sky was painted and the birdsong was from speakers, but the plants were all real. A room that was a maze of mirrors, another filled with gold (which Discord had shoved them through without stopping), one where a strong wind blew through, even though there weren't any openings besides the tunnel...there were so many oddities down here.

But as she assured Discord after he caught her in the inverted gravity room, exploring a place like this was fun and exciting, especially with him by her side.

Discord pulled a pocket watch out of thin air, opening it up to reveal a wildly spinning compass needle. "Looks like we're almost to the end," he said, tossing the compass/watch over his shoulder. "I'd guess there's just one more room before we reach the end of the cave."

"How can you tell?" she asked.

"Magic," he said, waving his hands and creating a sparkling rainbow between them.

She giggled, covering her mouth with a hoof. The tunnel curved upwards and to the right, the gems changing color from yellow to blue crystals as they followed the path.

In just minutes, they entered a large domed cavern. On the other side was the exit, with jugged stone outcroppings that looked like fangs, and a clear view of Chaosville's purple sky.

The floor of the cavern was a crystal-clear lake, with a glowing moss growing deep on the bottom. The ceiling was covered with star-shaped diamonds, which shimmered as the sky outside shifted.

Discord wriggled and shrugged off his harness, tossing his helmet off to the side. "Guess we'll have to swim across," he said, snapping his fingers. Her harness and shoulder pads loosened and fell to the ground as she undid the strap of her helmet.

Just as he was about to dive in, her stomach suddenly growled. She placed a hoof on her belly, a light blush on her cheeks. "I guess we've been down here for a while," he said. "Well, I suppose we could have a picnic lunch outside. Ooooor..."

He snapped up a picnic basket, then stepped closer to the lake. He whipped out a neon yellow blanket, and threw it over the surface of the lake. The water rippled, but the blanket refused to sink and remained completely dry.

He stepped onto the blanket, dropping the basket in the center. The blanket rippled and sank under his feet, but still remained dry. He knelt next to the edge and held a paw out to her, grinning.

She smiled and took his paw, stepping carefully on the blanket. It reminded her of a waterbed—a solid, dry surface that sank easily under her weight, wobbling underneath her. She took a seat next to Discord.

He held his fingers in the snapping position, then paused and glanced at her. "Do you trust me, even if this is a crazy idea?" he asked.

She smiled and leaned against his side. "Always."

He smiled and snapped. The blanket began slowly sinking into the water.

She tensed a little, grabbing onto his arm. "It's okay," he assured her. "Look." He pointed at the edge of the blanket.

Looking closer, she saw that even though it was sinking, no water was flowing onto the blanket. In fact, as it sank totally beneath the surface, a film of water pressed closer, but appeared to be pushed back.

Seconds later, they were completely underwater. With a [i]thwip[/i], the water flowed above their heads, enclosing them in a bubble of air.

Discord flicked his finger, and they began to drift around the lake. "Is this alright?" he asked. "I can take us somewhere else if you want."

She shook her head, reaching towards the basket. "No, this is...interesting." She glanced up at the shimmering diamonds through the filter of the water's surface. "It's beautiful down here."

She opened the lid, and the basket unfolded itself into a smaller woven blanket, covered in heaps of sandwiches, smoothies, and kale chips.

She started nibbling on a triangle cucumber sandwich, while he munched on a foot-long stuffed with lettuce, ketchup, and mayo, opening it up and tossing a handful of kale chips on before continuing to eat.

Their bubble drifted through the water, bouncing off of the walls, as they made their way through the pile of food. Just as they finished off the last foot-long sandwich together, a flower grew in the center of the blanket, blooming open to reveal scoops of pink ice cream, the leaves twisting into spoons.

She carefully plucked a spoon and took a small bite. "Strawberry," she said, taking another bite from the same scoop. Her brow furrowed in confusion. "It's bubblegum now."

Discord snatched the other spoon and took a large bite. "Pink lotus. I think it changes with every bite." He took another bite. "Yep. It just became raspberry."

They kept eating, each bite a different flavor. Once they finished, she set down her spoon and set a hoof on her stomach. "That was really good," she said. "But I'm not sure I want to move much right now. What can we do that's chaotic without moving?"

He snapped his fingers, and the blanket floated upwards, their bubble popping as they broke the surface. The blanket hovered up a few more inches into the air, fluttering underneath them.

Discord spread out, laying on his stomach next to her. "We can go exploring and relax at the same time if you'd like," he said.

She smiled and laid on her stomach, shifting forward so she was laying under his arm. "That sounds lovely," she said.

With a smile, he flicked his hands as though he were holding invisible reins. The blanket hovered forward and out the tunnel exit, fluttering forward into the shifting sky of Chaosville.

* * *

They had soared over Chaosville's unusual features for an hour or so, even joining a group of flying sharks as they migrated from an ocean sphere to a towering spire of saltwater before continuing their adventure.

After a while, they flew back to their house, folding the blanket and putting it in the clothes and carpets closet. They went into the crafts room and started painting together, splattering colors of paint onto a blank canvas without any sort of pattern, occasionally flicking bits of paint onto each other.

Once every white spot was covered, Discord blew a yellow flame onto the canvas. The paint immediately dried, and he wiped a smudge of green paint off of his forehead (leaving an even larger smear of pink paint).

"I think this is our most chaotic work yet," he said. "Where should we hang this one?"

She narrowed her eyes, looking at the colorful splotches. "This part here almost looks like a fruit bowl," she said, pointing at some roundish red and green spots, and some linear yellow ones. "Why don't we put it in the kitchen?"

He nodded and wiped his hands on her coat, to which she playfully tried to squirm away. He carefully picked up the canvas and disappeared in a flash of light for a few seconds, before reappearing by her side.

He coughed up a pocket watch, opening it up and looking at the time. "It's almost six," he said. "I guess we were exploring for longer than I thought." He tossed the watch onto a nearby table, where brushes began to paint it gold and silver.

She glanced at her mane, or more specifically, the blue paint that had gotten stuck in it. "We should wash up first. We had a pretty big lunch, so we could probably wait a little longer for dinner." He nodded. "Do you want to use the bath first? You have a lot more paint on you."

He smirked. "I have a better idea." He brushed his fingers through her mane, leaning down to kiss her.

"Oh," she said, blushing. "O-okay. I-it's been a while since we've bathed together."

He smiled and scooped her into his arms before teleporting the two of them away.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, they appeared in the kitchen, their coats clean and glossy and their faces flushed.

Discord began rooting through the cupboards, tossing foodstuffs over his shoulder and muttering to himself. After a few moments, he groaned and slumped to the ground.

"What's wrong?" she asked, rubbing the top of his head with the tip of her wing.

He looked up, pouting, and said, "I want to make us a wonderfully chaotic dinner...but none of the ideas I can think of are _good_ enough to finish a day like today!" He flopped back against the ground, placing his hands over his head. "What sort of chaos spirit am I!?"

She sighed and kissed his cheek. "You always have good ideas. You just need to think a little more." She walked over to the stove. "I'll make us a kettle of tea, and you can just relax, alright? Think your ideas through."

As the tea boiled, he rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. She watched as he drew invisible plans in the air with his finger, before frowning in disgust and crumbling up the plan. "It's alright," she said. "Just calm down, and try to let the ideas come naturally."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Slowly, he lifted his hands again and began to mold at the air—this time, much more gently and carefully, his eyes and mouth twitching slightly as he focused in on whatever idea he was having.

She carefully set the teacup and saucer down on the floor next to him. His nose twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes and sat up, letting the cup float into his paw. He took a dainty sip as she sat next to him, still molding an invisible idea with his free claw.

"I think I have something," he said after his fifth sip of tea. "Nothing too crazy, but something I think you'll like."

She set her teacup down. "Oh? What is it?" She scooted forward a little, her front hooves tapping eagerly on the ground.

He smirked and snapped his fingers. They were teleported to the couch, the tea kettle and teacups floating in after them from the kitchen. He pulled large silver trays of sandwiches and cookies from thin air, piling them onto the table.

Off to the side, he lit a blue flame under a floating teapot, his teacup settling into his paw. "As I said, nothing too crazy...but I wouldn't say this is a normal dinner, either," he said, gesturing to more teapots and plates of snacks that had suddenly arrived.

She smiled and plucked her teacup out of the air. "Just like old times," she said with a smile. "Did you make cucumber sandwiches?"

He nodded, and a plate full of them floated over to her. "And even some carrot-ginger ones," he said as he took a large bite out of one of said sandwiches. "Though I still don't think I'll ever make them as well as you did."

She took a small bite out of a cucumber sandwich. "Well, you still make these as well as ever," she said. He smiled, his pupils becoming wide and shiny.

As they talked and ate, he shifted closer to her, and she to him, until they were leaning against each other. They continued sipping their tea and nibbling on snacks, though the talking was mostly replaced with soft cuddling and gentle petting. The cuckoo clock chirped several times, and the plates and teapots slowly emptied.

She yawned, snuggling into his chest fur as she let her teacup slip out of her grip. Discord caught it with his tail, chuckling. "Sleepy now, are we? After all that tea?"

She whined and poked his chest, adjusting herself against him. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Well, you may be fine sleeping on top of me, but I'd like to spend tonight in a bed." His arms wrapped around her. "I'm going to move you, okay?"

She tried to say 'yes', but all she could manage was a soft mumble. It must have been enough, because she heard him snap his fingers, and felt the air shift around her in the way it did whenever they teleported. She was lifted off of his chest and placed on top of a bed.

She groaned and reached out towards him. He kissed her forehead and pulled the bedsheets up to her chest. "I'm here," he said, slithering under the covers. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead again. "I'll always be here."

She smiled and snuggled into him, letting her body relax in his hold. "Love you," she murmured.

"Love you too," he said, just before she drifted off to sleep.


	27. I'm Fluffy for You

The train whistled as it pulled into the station. Fluttershy was pressed up against the window, and as soon as the train stopped, she pulled away with a wide grin on her face.

"We're here!" she said happily. Discord chuckled at the sheer enthusiasm on her face.

"And I'm guessing you're just dying to start searching, aren't you?" he said, floating their suitcases above his head and reaching down to wrap a baby blue scarf around her neck.

She giggled, practically skipping past him down the train car. "Well, yes," she said. "I just can't believe there's a subspecies of winterchilla in Yakyakistan!"

Discord wrapped a scarf around his neck, snapping his fingers and creating fluffy white boots on Fluttershy's hooves. "Well, no point in wasting time. We'll drop these off at the inn and start hitting the pavement." He jumped off of the train behind Fluttershy.

She paused, looking up at the sky. "Oh...the sun is setting, though," she said, pointing at the horizon. "I'm not sure it's a good idea to look for the winterchilla when they're in their larger form...they tend to be more aggressive then."

He grumbled, juggling the suitcases in his magic. "I knew I should have teleported us here," he said. "Why did we have to take the train again?"

"Didn't you want to try the new cafe they installed on the train?" she said, glancing at him. Her voice took on a teasing tone as she continued, "I remember you spent a lot of time in that car...they had first-rate hot chocolate, you said?"

"And cinnamon rolls," he said. "Five stars for everything they served there." He licked his lips. "If only I didn't have to ride a boring train to figure out what it tasted like."

She giggled. "Well, it's not much trouble. We can start our search in the morning, after a good night's sleep." She started walking through the snow, Discord following close behind her.

They trudged into the simple inn. "Excuse me," Fluttershy said to the yak inside. "We sent a letter to make a reservation? Mr. and Mrs. Chaos." She pulled out the letter she had gotten back from them.

The yak blinked. "Oh, yes," she said. "Your room is down there, the first one on the right." Fluttershy nodded and walked in that direction. "Bundle up! It's supposed to be chilly tonight," she said as they walked past.

Fluttershy pushed past the curtain and entered the room. It was small and quite simple, with only a thick carpet on the floor, a bed just big enough for the both of them, and a window on the far wall.

Discord dropped the suitcases in a pile by the doorway, looking around the room and clicking his tongue. He snapped his fingers and replaced the curtain with a soundproof door, then snapped again to replace the thin green curtains on the window with thick plaid ones.

He yawned and stretched. "Well, I think that train ride was boring enough to almost put me to sleep," he said. "I'm going to take a bath. What would you like for dinner?"

"A salad sounds nice," Fluttershy said. "Oh, and could I have the cinnamon roll and hot chocolate you tried on the train?"

He nodded and snapped his fingers, and a small table appeared with the meal she wanted on top of it. Another snap, and a comfortable chair appeared next to it.

"What about your dinner?" she said, taking a seat in the chair.

He shrugged. "Oh, I ate plenty on the train. Plus, there's nothing stopping me from eating in the tub, is there?" he said. She giggled.

He strode into the bathroom, twisting his head to look around. Small shower, small toilet, curtain for a door. With a roll of his eyes, he snapped his fingers, creating a golden bathtub filled with boiling water and bubbles.

He sighed, sinking into the boiling water and snapping up a lavender soap bar and cinnamon roll. He took a large bite out of the cinnamon roll and breathed in the scent of the bubblegum bubble bath, closing his eyes.

* * *

By the time Discord got out of his hot bath, the wind outside was howling loudly, and the room was freezing. Fluttershy was trying her best to keep the curtains closed, but wind crept through some invisible cracks in the windows and pushed them away.

Discord snapped his fingers, and a pair of red shutters appeared between the window and curtains, slamming shut. Fluttershy jumped and turned around. "Discord!" she said.

"Sorry for startling you," he said, patting her on the head. "Fighting the wind, are we?" The wind howled again, and the room seemed to grow colder. He and Fluttershy both shivered.

"How are we expected to sleep when the room is so cold?" Discord huffed, snapping his fingers and making a brick fireplace on the wall opposite their bed. With another snap, a roaring fire flared up inside, warming the room up just the tiniest bit.

"Well...yaks have thick fur," Fluttershy said. "They can probably handle cold like this a bit better than we can. That might be why they didn't think tonight would be so bad."

"I guess," Discord mumbled, holding a digital thermometer into the air. It beeped, and the small screen flashed blue before lighting up with text: 'Too Cold to Sleep'.

He grunted and crunched angrily down on the thermometer, devouring it in three bites. "I don't know about you, but I'd like to get some comfortable sleep tonight," he said. "So how can we deal with this cold?"

"M-m-maybe more blankets?" Fluttershy said, her teeth chattering as another gust of wind blew.

Discord snapped, and several layers of thick quilts appeared on the bed. A lightbulb appeared above his head, and he twisted his paw in the air, the room heating up as he did so.

He stopped and let his paw drop to his side once he had brought the room to a comfortable temperature. Fluttershy sighed in relief, laying down on the bed and crawling under the covers. "Thank you, Discord," she said.

He smiled and slithered under the covers, cuddling close to her. "With that taken care of, we can get a good night's sleep," he said. She nodded and kissed him on the lips before laying her head down on the pillow and closing her eyes.

* * *

The wind howled, and Discord's eyes snapped open as a wave of cold passed over him.

He lifted his head, peering around the room. He shivered, as the room was maybe even colder now. The fire in the fireplace had died down a little, so he snapped his fingers and created another log in the middle of it.

"D-Discord?" Fluttershy said. "I t-thought you heated up the room..."

"It got cold again," he said, twisting his paw and adjusting the temperature back. "The heat must have...seeped out, I guess." He yawned. "I'm too tired to try and break the laws of physics so that doesn't happen."

"So it's just going to keep getting colder?" Fluttershy said.

He bit his lip. "...I'll try to keep that from happening," he said, snapping his fingers. Another quilt tucked itself over them, and hot water bottles were stuffed under the bedsheets.

"You need rest too, Discord," she said, shifting closer to him. "You're not going to stay up tonight just to keep the room warm, are you?"

He pursed his lips. "Weeeell..." She looked at him with pleading eyes. He sighed, kissing her forehead. "Oh, I can't win when you look at me like that. I'm going to do my best to keep you warm, but I promise that I'll try to get some sleep myself."

He made a crossing motion over his heart, marking a golden 'X' there. She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Cordy."

"You're welcome," he said, tracing his lips along the edge of her ear. "Now, try to go back to sleep. I'll spend a little more time trying to figure this out." She closed her eyes and buried herself into his fur as much as she could. He could feel her small shivers as the cold seeped in more and more.

He stroked his fingers through her mane—which felt much colder than it should have—and hummed a song, one of the lullabies she sang to foals and her animals. He felt her smile against his chest, and soon, she had drifted off to sleep.

He laid his head down on his pillow, snapping a hot water bottle inside of it, and pulled the quilts over her head. With a sigh, he stared up at the ceiling, trying to think of a way to keep both of them warm.

Time passed, and he almost drifted to sleep himself a few times. But the cold snapped him awake each time, and he quickly brought the temperature up before Fluttershy's sleep was disturbed.

He adjusted the quilts over her and felt that she was still shivering slightly. Discord lifted a hand and snapped his fingers, adding another log to the fireplace and making the blaze grow. A wave of heat passed over them, but it was still nothing compared to the cold air in the room, invisibly seeping in.

He pressed Fluttershy against his chest, racking his brain to see if he could think of something else. _A large fire, blankets, and hot water bottles aren't enough, _he thought._ And directly affecting the temperature will only work for a little while before the cold air comes back in._ The wind howled outside, banging on the shutters he had placed over the windows.

Both he and Fluttershy shivered, their fur sticking up as the cold hit them again. Fluttershy shifted closer, burying herself into his fur.

A lightbulb appeared above his head. _I hope this works,_ he thought, rubbing his hands together and making sparks of magic between them. After a few seconds of charging, he tapped himself on the forehead with his talon.

_Poof!_

His fur expanded to several times its volume, burying Fluttershy inside of it. He then reached through his fur and into his chest, turning a white dial inside of himself that read 'Temperature'. He felt his body heat up, and he stopped moving the dial once he felt comfortably warm.

Fluttershy sighed contentedly, relaxing in his arms and resting her head against his warm chest. He smiled and stroked her mane, kissing her forehead. "Sweet dreams, my love," he whispered before laying his head on his pillow. He soon drifted off, joining his wife in sleep.

* * *

When he woke up, he still felt sleepy. But it was the good kind of sleepy, halfway between being awake and sleeping. He was tired enough that he felt light, with the quilts comfortable weighing him down and relaxing him, but awake enough to recognize how good everything was—the tantalizing feeling of cool air against his warm skin, and of his lovely wife snuggling into his chest fur.

She shifted closer to him, snuggling even deeper into his fur and running her hooves through the fur on his back. Eventually, her gentle gestures fully awakened him, and he yawned loudly, stretching his arms up before wrapping them back around her.

He opened his eyes and looked down at her. She was staring at him with wide, shining eyes, peeking through his thick fur. "Good morning," he said, kissing her forehead lightly.

"Good morning," she whispered. "Is there...a reason your fur is puffed up again?" She snuggled deeper into his fur.

He chuckled. "This time, it was intentional." His fur flattened down with the sound of a deflating balloon. "I made it fluffier and increased my own body temperature to keep you warm through the night." He nuzzled the top of her head.

She smiled, leaning into his touch. "Thank you, Discord. That was very kind of you." When he pulled away, she beamed at him, eyes sparkling, and with a light blush on her face. A second later, though, her expression changed.

She pointed to his head, a worried expression on her face. He snapped up a hand mirror and looked at his reflection. Steam was pouring out of his eyes and ears, and small wisps were even pouring from parts of his skin.

"Oh!" he said with a laugh. "Don't worry, sweet Fluttershy. That's just a small side effect of leaving my body temperature higher than normal." He reached into his chest and twisted the dial back to its normal position.

She sighed in relief, placing a hoof against her chest. "O-okay. It's not something I normally see, even with you."

"Well, I don't change my body temperature that often," he said. "It's rarely useful, and it has side effects. Turn it up too long, I start steaming and smoking, down too long, and icicles start forming in my joints." He stretched again, his joints making exaggerated popping and shattering sounds as he did so.

She giggled and shifted off of him. "Well, I'll go see if the inn serves any breakfast." She moved towards the edge of the bed.

He wrapped an arm around her, bringing her back to his side. "Oh no you don't," he said. "It might not feel cold in here, but I think it will be much colder in that hallway." He wrapped his other arm around her, placing his chin on top of her head. "Besides, I know something better than some plain old inn breakfast."

"Breakfast in bed!" he said cheerfully, snapping his fingers and making trays of food appear on both their laps. A bowl of oatmeal, steaming hot, was centered on both their trays, with mugs of hot tea and warm, fresh donuts on the side. He snapped his fingers again, and another tray appeared on Fluttershy's other side, with jars of sugar, milk, honey, and other toppings for their oatmeal.

Discord lifted his head off of her, though he still kept one arm around her, and poured chocolate and caramel syrup into his oatmeal, mixing them in before shoving a large spoonful into his mouth. Fluttershy added just a little honey and cinnamon to hers before topping it with blueberries and strawberries. "Did you get enough sleep last night?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "I figured out how to keep us warm soon enough...even if I almost drifted off a few times before that."

"That's good," she said. "And everything you did worked, for me at least. I feel very well rested."

"That's wonderful to hear," he said, drinking his oatmeal out of the bowl. "So, where do you want to start searching for the winterchilla?" A map of Yakyakistan appeared at the foot of their bed.

As they ate, she pointed out places the winterchilla was likely or unlikely to be in, which he marked with different colors of stickers. Soon, though, they had finished their meals, and Fluttershy began to crawl out of bed.

Discord rolled out of bed onto the floor, slithering over to the window and throwing the shutters open. The air was calm, though the ground was covered with several feet of new, fluffy white snow.

"That snow looks deep," he said as he quickly slammed the shutters. "You should wear your thickest boots, dear."

"_We_ should wear _our_ thickest boots," she said as she poured a glass of water on the smoldering embers in the fireplace. "And I'll get dressed in a second. I want to freshen up first."

He nodded and started digging through the suitcases while she went into the bathroom. He tossed things from the suitcases all about the room, until he finally found garments he was satisfied with.

A few minutes later, Fluttershy walked out of the bathroom. He floated over to her, holding out the garments he had chosen. "My lady," he said with a bow, suddenly wearing a crisp butler's uniform. "If I may have the honor of preparing you for the harsh winter elements?"

She giggled. "You may," she said with a tiny bow of her own.

First, he snapped his fingers and enchanted her baby blue coat while she was putting it on so that it would always keep her warm. He carefully wriggled long, thick cotton socks onto her hooves, which reached almost up to her body. Then, he helped her put on the thickest boots he could find—mint green ones, with blue fake fur on the inside. Finally, while she was adjusting her white earmuffs, he tied a scarf around her neck, striped navy blue and forest green.

"Alright then!" he said, snapping his fingers and transforming the large Yakyakistan map into a small paper one. "It looks like we're ready to go!"

"Oh, just one second!" Fluttershy said. She became to rummage through the suitcases and pulled out a few items, then carried them over to Discord. "I want to make sure you're bundled up, too."

He looked down at what she was carrying in her front hooves. A long rainbow scarf, hoof-knitted, two mismatched boots, and a patchwork coat. He looked back up at her face, and she gave him a pleading look, holding the items closer to him.

"Hmm," he said, frowning deeply as he stroked at his beard, narrowing his eyes at the garments and glancing over at the window. She frowned slightly, glancing down at the items sadly.

"Oh, I'm just teasing," he said, slinging an arm around her. With a snap of his fingers, everything she had grabbed was teleported onto his body, joined by a pair of gloves on his hands and rainbow legwarmers on his feet. "I may be crazy, but not crazy enough to spend all day outside in the snow without at least a little covering."

She frowned, crossing her forelegs. "W-well, don't tease me like that," she said. "I just want you to be safe, okay?"

"I know," he said, kissing the top of her head. "I just love seeing how much you care about me. It's...touching."

She blushed, glancing up at him. He looked away for a second, lowering his head to try and hide some of his blush behind his scarf. "But I suppose I should make it up to you for worrying you like that..." he said. His head turned into a lightbulb. "And I know how to do that and keep warm at the same time!" He snapped his fingers.

_Poof!_

His fur fluffed up, bulging against the confines of his coat. She made a happy sound and leaned against him, rubbing her cheek against the fluffy fur on his neck. He smiled and nuzzled her behind her ear.

"Well, if we're all set for an adventure, why don't we set out?" he said. "There's only so much daylight up here, and as you said—'it's not a good idea to look for the winterchilla in their larger form'." For the last part, his mane and voice were perfect imitations of Fluttershy's.

She laughed, leaning against him. "You're right," she said. "Let's go!" He snapped his fingers, and they teleported away, outside of the town.


	28. Small Things

Fluttershy opened the front door and stepped inside. She left a trail of muddy hoofprints on the carpet as she dropped her saddlebags on the ground. With a great sigh, she flopped down onto the couch, too tired to care about the water and mud that she was getting on the cushions.

After a few minutes of laying there, pressing her face into the pillows, the front door was slammed open with great force. "I'm home!" Discord announced cheerfully. "How was your—" he froze as he spotted her. "What in the name of sweet chaos happened to you!?"

She sighed and sat up, pushing some of her mane out of her face. "Hi, Discord," she said quietly. "It's just been...a very long day for me."

He conjured up a wooden chair and sat in front of her, leaning forward with wide, worried eyes. With another sigh, she started.

"Before I started checking on the animals in the sanctuary, Starlight suddenly ran up and asked me to be a last-minute substitute for a friendship class—Scootaloo caught the feather flu, and no one else could take over. I agreed, and left some instructions for Dr. Fauna before leaving with Starlight."

"Well, I had only half an hour to learn and memorize what I was supposed to be teaching the class. It wasn't that hard, but...I was just so _worried_ that I wouldn't learn everything in time. Oh, but the classes went just fine, and Starlight said she could take over the afternoon classes."

"I figured I'd eat lunch at the sanctuary...but when I got there, Dr. Fauna said that she didn't see the list I left. It must have blown away. So we had to figure out everything she hadn't done, and then I had to do it before we could do the afternoon things. But she was called away for an emergency, and I didn't have volunteers today, so I had to do everything myself."

"But I had forgotten that there was a heavy rainstorm scheduled for this afternoon...I must have slipped and fallen into ten mud puddles after it started...but I had to finish taking care of my animals. It took me all afternoon, but once that was done, I came right back home."

She flopped back down onto the couch, sighing when it let out a nasty squelching sound. Discord quickly snapped his fingers, and the mud and water evaporated off of the couch and her body, the vapor hovering out the window.

"Thank you," she mumbled. Her coat still felt itchy and unclean, even if the grime was gone.

"Fluttershy...why didn't you call me?" he asked. "I could have helped you! I could have taken care of your morning chores, or substituted for the class. I could have gotten rid of those rain clouds, or even just made you an umbrella!"

She sighed, shaking her head. "No...you were visiting Celestia. I didn't want to disturb you. I know how much you both enjoy your semi-monthly visits."

He frowned. "We could have easily rescheduled! There's no reason you shouldn't have—" She whimpered, lowering her head, and he froze.

With a sigh, he gently placed his paw on top of her head. "I'm sorry," he murmured. After a pause, he said, "Did you even get a chance to eat lunch?"

She shook her head, and he sighed heavily. "Alright. I'll make you some nice, hot stew. Do you want to go to bed?" She nodded, and he snapped his fingers, teleporting both of them onto their bed. He gently propped her against the pillows, tucking the sheets up to her chest.

"I'll be back in just a few minutes, okay? I'm going to make the stew by hand, with a little magic to speed it up." Before he snapped his fingers, he grabbed a book from her small shelf with his tail and placed it into her hooves. He disappeared in a flash of light.

She glanced down at the book she was holding—a field guide on the birds found in the tropics. She flipped through the pages slowly, looking at the creatures' colorful plumage without really reading any of the words.

Just a few minutes later, Discord floated back into the room with a silver tray in his claw. He carefully placed it on her lap, and she set the book aside to see what he'd brought.

A large bowl of vegetable stew, with some noodles floating around in it, still steaming hot. A steaming mug of hot chocolate, with a dollop of marshmallow whip. And a pink cream cheese mint, exactly the shape and size of a blooming rose.

Slowly, she dipped her spoon into the stew and brought it up to her lips, taking a small sip. "I-it's delicious," she whispered. She took another small bite, then a sip of the hot chocolate. A warmth spread from the tips of her ears to the bottom of her hooves.

Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes and started pouring down her face.

"Fluttershy!?" Discord said. "Are-are you okay!? Is the cocoa too hot? Is the stew too salty? Did my cooking poison you!?"

She let out a choked laugh, wiping her eyes. "N-no," she said, sniffling. "I'm-I'm sorry. It's just been...such a long day, and I'm so tired, and-and you're just being so _nice_ when all I've done is rant at you..." She sniffed again, wiping both of her eyes.

She squeaked as Discord wrapped his arms around her, the tray floating off to the side as she was pulled against his chest. "You have _nothing_ to be sorry for," he said. "You have just been through a very long and stressful day, and are only just now getting a chance to relax. Of course you feel a little overwhelmed."

She whimpered. "But...what you said earlier, about calling you...you're not mad at me?"

He sighed, burying his muzzle into her mane. "No, I am not mad. I may be a little _annoyed_ that you put my visit with Celestia over your own health and struggles...but no, I understand why you decided not to."

He kissed her forehead. "Just, in the future...call me, okay? I'll drop everything if it means I can help you."

She whined and buried her face deeper in his fur. Tiny whimpers came from her throat, as tears poured from her eyes.

"Just let it all out," he said, stroking her mane and back. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm here for you."

For the next few minutes, she continued to sob in his fur. Eventually, she pulled away with a running nose and red, puffy eyes. She apologized for getting his fur wet. He just shrugged and gently rubbed a silk handkerchief over her eyes and nose. When he pulled away, her nose was clear, and a sideways glance towards the nearby mirror showed that her eyes were normal again.

"Feel any better?" he asked, cleaning the mess she had made in his fur with the handkerchief.

With a sniff, she slowly nodded. "Thank you," she said, wrapping her forehooves around his torso. He smiled down at her, brushing a stray strand of mane out of her face.

She pulled away and leaned back against the pillows. "I'd like to finish that stew now. It really is delicious," she said. He smiled and reeled the tray back in front of her.

She continued eating and sipping at her cocoa, while Discord laid down on his side of the bed and summoned one of his favorite salads to eat: a single leaf of lettuce, drenched in ranch, and topped with croutons, crackers shaped like fish, and a handful of paperclips. She leaned against his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her withers.

She finished off her stew and rose mint, Discord polishing off his salad and purple corpse lily-shaped mint. A bonfire suddenly sprang up at the foot of the bed, and they were holding sticks with marshmallows on them. "I think today should be a two-dessert day, after what you've been through," he said, lighting his marshmallow on fire and sticking it into a s'more as it was still burning.

She smiled and began to cook her own marshmallow a little more carefully, taking sips of her cocoa as it turned a lovely shade of golden brown. When it was ready, she pulled it back, and chocolate and graham crackers appearing around it as she pulled it off of the stick.

After devouring two s'mores, she decided she had had enough. Discord tossed the remainder of his tenth s'more down his esophagus and snapped his fingers. She felt warm, white steam that smelled like soap blow against her fur, melting away the sticky residue and finally getting rid of that grimy feeling in her fur.

A gust of hot wind blew through the room, dispersing the steam and drying her fur. She yawned and slid under the sheets. Discord curled around her like a snake, resting his head just above hers.

"Thank you," she murmured, wrapping her forehooves around the part of him she could most easily reach, pressing her face into his fur. "This feels so nice..."

With another yawn, she snuggled closer against him, feeling the troubles of her day melt away as she drifted into unconsciousness.


	29. Grumpy Gus

Fluttershy hummed a simple tune, herding a couple of dust bunnies back under the couch. Discord had left hours ago for a small convention, where he would be showing off a new expansion of O&O to any interested players.

She glanced up at the clock. He'd be back home any minute now, and she wanted everything to be nice and chaotic when he arrived. Still humming her little song, she tossed some flour on top of the table, spreading it out with her hoof until it was a thin dust.

Just as she had put away the flour and was turning a painting in the kitchen upside down, she heard the door slam open. She quickly flew into the living room. "Welcome back!" she said cheerfully. "How was—"

She froze in place, a tiny squeak coming from her throat. Discord was scowling and glaring—not at her, it seemed, but just everything in general. "It," he hissed between grit teeth, "did not go as well as I had hoped."

With a snort, he hovered over and flopped down on the couch, crossing his arms and glaring up at the ceiling. A tiny volcano appeared where he was glaring, spewing lava over the surface. He huffed, tiny clouds of smoke pouring out of his nostrils.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she said.

He growled. "No! I'd rather not have to relive the last few hours, thank you!" he snapped. An armchair skidded across the floor, crashing down the hallway. With another snort, this time with a spurt of flame, he flopped his head down on the closest pillow.

She backed away slowly. "Oh...I'm sorry." She went back into the kitchen, quickly pulling out slices of bread, carrot extract, and ginger. In just a few minutes, she had whipped together the carrot ginger sandwiches he liked so much (with an extra sprinkle of ginger), making sure to cut off the crusts and separate them from the sandwiches.

After arranging them on a large plate, she opened the fridge and grabbed a pitcher of lemonade, pouring it into a tall glass and adding a hoofful of star-shaped ice cubes. She set the plate on her back, and grabbed the glass with her wing, then walked to the living room.

"Here you go," she said, sliding them onto the small table beside him. "I thought you might like something to eat."

"M'not hungry," he muttered.

She frowned. "Is there anything you need? A book, a puzzle..."

He shifted his head and glared at her. "I'd like to be left _alone_ to wallow in my _misery!"_ he howled, before turning so that his back was facing her. He crossed his arms with a snort, and a small, rumbling black thundercloud appeared above his head.

She took a few steps back, her ears pressed flat against her skull. "...Alright," she said, turning and starting to fly out of the room.

Just before she went into the hallway, she heard Discord call, "W-wait!" She turned and saw that even though the black cloud was still hovering near him, he had sat up, and was reaching an arm out towards her.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," he quickly said. "I'm sorry. I know you're trying to help me, and I-I love you for that." He clasped his hands together, twiddling his thumbs.

"I don't want to talk...but having you closer makes me feel...better," he said. "Could you...?"

She nodded and flew back over to him, taking a seat on the other end of the couch. "Do you want a hug?" she asked, stretching her hooves out to him.

He shook his head, curling his tail away. "I'd rather not be touched right now, thanks. Just being close is good."

She smiled and nodded, putting a few inches between herself and his tail. She waited and watched as Discord muttered to himself under his breath, clenching and unclenching his fists, and bit at the corner of his pillow.

At some point, he starting shoving carrot ginger sandwiches into his mouth angrily, nearly swallowing them whole. As he made his way through the sandwiches, though, he began to slow down and actually chew his food, washing it down with gulps of lemonade.

As he nibbled at one of the sandwich crusts, his tail shifted closer to her lap. "Discord?" she said quietly, pointing his tail out when he glanced up at her. "I wasn't sure if you still didn't want to be touched..." She shifted a little bit away, but bumped into the arm of the couch before she could get far.

He rolled the crust in his mouth, then said, "I think I'd like to take you up on that hug." He bit his lip. "That is...if you're still offering."

She opened her forelegs, smiling softly. He swallowed his crust and flipped backwards in the air, so that now he was looking up at her, upside-down. He slithered over to her, hesitating for a second before gently pressing himself against her chest.

She slowly wrapped her hooves around his neck, keeping her touch as light as possible, so that he could pull away if he had to. He whined, pressing his cheek against her chest.

"I'm sorry," he said. "You're so wonderful. I love you. I'm sorry."

She shushed him, brushing at his mane with a hoof. "It's okay. You were in a bad mood. You just needed some way to vent your frustrations."

"That doesn't excuse it," he growled. The black cloud orbited around the two of them, rumbling. "Especially when the reason for my bad mood is a stupid, idiotic one."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, brushing behind his ear with the tip of her wing.

He scowled. "It's stupid," he grumbled.

"Talking about it might make you feel better," she said. "And you can stop at any time you want. I won't pry."

He shifted, letting his arms fall to his sides on the couch, and his head relax against her chest. "Well, the convention...didn't go as well as I had hoped for," he said. "Oh, it was fine at first. Small groups of creatures, all interested in the game, very polite and friendly about it."

He clenched his fists, and growled, "Then _he_ came."

"He was some stallion, being dragged along by a younger mare—his daughter or niece, some kind of relative. Anyway, she was very interested in the game, and was eager to sit down and play. The stallion just sort of...hung back, scowling." Discord scowled himself, "But we needed one more player for an ideal party, so she invited him to take a pre-rendered character and join in. That's when things started to get dicey, and not the fun kind."

"First of all, he was pretty grumpy about having to join in. Then, he took one look at his character sheet and said he wasn't going to play as a _dragon_ of all things. That upset the dragon player who was at the table. I managed to find a character sheet for a pony, but then he got upset with me because I grabbed one for a barbarian, and he thought I was insulting his intelligence."

"So his younger relative rolled him up a unicorn wizard, just to keep him quiet. So finally, with six players, we could start the game. I figured that even if he didn't want to join in, he would hang back and let his daughter-niece-whatever have fun." The black cloud rumbled. "_My mistake_."

He flopped his head against her chest roughly. She winced. "Sorry! So sorry! I forgot you weren't my pillow," he said quickly. She pat his head, quietly assuring him she was okay.

"But anyway, I made a mistake thinking he would either join in or keep quiet. As we started the game, he made fun of the voices every creature was using for their characters, and mocked the player who was roleplaying as a barbarian."

"Then as we continued, he called the rouge 'morally depraved', the changeling bard a 'lovesucking trickster', and the druid a 'treehugging hippie'. Everyone was upset, but they thought he was just trying to get into the whole roleplaying thing, so tried to go along with it."

"But as we kept going, his comments just got worse and worse...and then he started making comments about the mare he came with." Steam started pouring out of his ears. "He criticized her decisions in the game, especially in combat. He snapped at her when she tried roleplaying her cleric. And then he started asking why she even bothered spending bits on something she doesn't even get something out of."

"That was when I stepped in. I called for a break, and pulled him to the side." A projector suddenly appeared, showing Discord and a middle-aged pegasus, talking separately from a group of younger creatures, who were eyeing the two nervously.

On the image, Discord hissed, "_Look, you're ruining the game for everyone else, including the mare you came with. Knock it off with the comments._"

The stallion scoffed. "_Oh, please. It's just a game. Besides, it's time she grew up and gave up these childish hobbies anyway._"

Discord growled, clenching his fist and jabbing a finger at his muzzle. "_You are walking on_ very_ thin ice right now, good sir,_" he said, pupils glowing red. "_You realize you are talking to someone who also plays this game, and has seen hundreds more lifetimes than your feeble mind could even start to comprehend._"

The stallion shoved his finger away and scoffed, "_And have you accomplished anything of worth? Done anything for the good of the world? Or have you just wasted hours on useless distractions, ignoring everypony around you?_"

Discord snorted, smoke pouring out of his nostrils. "_Shut up._"

"_Have I struck a nerve? Made you see that by wasting your time on foolish things like this, you've ignored the more important things like—_"

Whatever he was going to say next would be unknown. Discord snapped his fingers, and the stallion disappeared in a flash of light. "_Who's up for LARPing?_" he yelled back at the group, who were watching with stunned expressions.

He snapped his fingers, and he and the group appeared in a fantastical world—the world of Ogres and Obulettes. The rude stallion was standing there in wizard robes, looking shell-shocked.

Discord hovered overhead, shaking a handful of colorful dice, cackling. The image faded to black, and the projector hummed and shut down.

"I got in trouble for that," he said. "The convention wasn't happy that I dragged creatures into another dimension. That stallion wanted me to be kicked out, but the others stood up for me—even the mare. They said they had fun, and he was a jerk, anyway."

He sighed. "But because of his complaints, they...they might not invite me back for the next convention." He held up a hand puppet of a pony. "_We'll need to consider all statements about today's incident before you can work for us again._"

He sighed again, the black cloud deflating like a balloon and flopping to the ground. "Yeah. Like I said. A stupid reason to be angry," he muttered.

"Don't say that," she said, gently running a hoof down his cheek. "That stallion was rude to you and everyone else. And he only got ruder when you tried to politely confront him." She tightened her hug. "Anyone would be mad because of that."

"That annoyed me, yeah, but...the main reason I'm angry at him is the really idiotic thing," he grumbled.

She tilted her head. "Was it because he might get you barred from future conventions? Because—"

He shook his head. "I'm annoyed about that, too, but...what really made me mad was that he tried claiming that I've 'ignored important things'."

"I don't know what he thought was important—maybe it was holding a job, getting rich, helping one's fellow creature—and I don't care, either. But I'll be barbequed before someone tries to imply that my Fluttershy is somehow less important than anything else in my life, or that I've neglected my role as a husband!"

She placed a hoof to her mouth, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. He was quiet for a second before stammering out, "O-of course, implying the Council of Friendship isn't important was also pretty—"

He froze as she tightened her hold on his neck, burying her face in his fur. "Discord," she choked, "That's one of the sweetest things I've ever heard you say." She kept nuzzling into him.

He flushed a bright red, stammering out a few syllables. "W-well, I still don't think that excuses how I treated you earlier," he finally said. He snapped his tail feathers, and the volcano sank into the ceiling, taking the lava with it, and the armchair flew back into the room with butterfly wings.

He snapped his fingers, and a complete teaset appeared on the table. "Would something like this perhaps begin to make it up to you?" he said, pouring a cup of tea with one hand, the other wrapped around her back.

She smiled, slowly letting go of his neck. "Discord, I already forgive you," she said. "But what about you? Are you feeling any better?"

He handed her the full cup, nodding. "Oh, yes. Well, I can't say I've forgiven the rude git, but I don't feel like sending a swarm of parasprites to eat his coat off anymore," he said, taking a sip of tea. "I guess I just needed to get it off my chest." He opened a panel above his heart, pulling out a large black dumbbell and tossing it to the side.

She giggled, taking a sip of tea. "You know I'll always be here whenever you're upset, right?"

He nodded, placing his hand on her head. "And I for you, my dear sweet Fluttershy."

He pulled away, tossing another sandwich crust in his mouth and glancing about the room. "I have to say, my dear, I love what you've done with the place! Is this chaos all just for me?"

She nodded. "It's just a few small things, but I wanted to surprise you."

He smiled softly at her, pupils forming into the shape of hearts. "It's wonderful," he said, not taking his eyes off of her. She smiled back, a blush forming on her face.


	30. Shot Through the Heart

"Thanks, Dr. Fauna," Fluttershy said. "I really can't thank you enough for giving all the sanctuary animals their shots."

The earth pony smiled. "Oh, it's really no trouble at all, Fluttershy," she said. "I'd hate for any of the creatures here to get sick."

"Still, I appreciate all you've done," Fluttershy said, rubbing one of Angel's children between her ears. Cherub squeaked and nuzzled into her hoof before hopping away to join her siblings.

"Speaking of shots, Fluttershy...have you gotten your flu shot yet this year?"

Fluttershy bit her lip. "I...don't think I've gotten any shots since I moved in with Discord. I've just been so busy, and I always forget about it."

Dr. Fauna nodded. "Well, if there's ever a year to get it, it's this year. The flu strain this year is just awful...a few ponies have even..." She paused and gulped. "But that's only a few cases. The symptoms are still very nasty, though."

Fluttershy nodded. "I'll think about it. Discord should probably get his shots, too."

They chatted for a few more minutes before saying their goodbyes and going their separate ways. Before going through one of the nearby portals, Fluttershy paused and flew towards town instead, in the direction of the Ponyville Hospital.

* * *

Everything had gone smoothly. An appointment was set for both of them, tomorrow in the middle of the morning. They would both get the flu shot and then go out for lunch and ice cream afterward.

Discord decided that things going smoothly was not a good thing.

"No!" he said for the tenth time that morning, and the fifteenth since she had told him last evening. "I am not going to let somepony stick a needle in me!"

She sighed and began to fly towards one of the nearby portals. "Discord...it's to make sure you don't get sick. You don't want to get sick, do you?"

He growled. "I think I'll take my chances. I don't get sick _that_ often."

She sighed. "Fine. If you want to stay here, I'll just get my shot, and go eat lunch in town by myself." She saw his ears perk up a little, a frown growing on his face.

She turned away to hide a smirk. "And I hoped we could go to Sugar Cube Corner for dessert...I guess I'll just have to go by myself."

"Ugh!" Discord floated to her side. "_Fine_, I'll do it. You're not nearly as subtle as you think you are, my dear."

She held his paw, and they flew towards the portal. "Thank you, sweetie," she said. "You know I'm doing this because I love you and want you to be healthy, right?"

He muttered and grumbled to himself, before finally saying aloud, "Yeah...I know. I just don't like it."

* * *

Discord tapped his foot on the ground. She reached over and patted his upper arm.

They had signed in early and were waiting to be called back. Discord had started fidgeting impatiently after the first minute.

She leaned against his shoulder. "It shouldn't be too much longer," she said quietly.

He grumbled, "If they're going to do awful things to me, do they need to bore me to death, too?"

She pointed to a stack of magazines on the table next to him. He sighed and shook his head. "No, I sampled some of them when you were signing us in. Too glossy and vapid for my taste."

She narrowed her eyes. There was a small piece of colored paper on his snaggletooth. "Discord...what have we discussed about eating things that don't belong to you?"

He grinned and reached up, pulling out his snaggletooth. Inside was a tightly rolled up magazine, a tiny corner poked up and over the edge of his tooth. "I was wondering how long it'd take for you to realize something was off." He pulled the magazine out of his tooth, which unfolded itself without any creases, and tossed it back onto the stack.

"I'd never eat these, anyway. I've tried it before, they're disgusting," he said. With a sigh, he slumped in his chair. "But there goes my source of entertainment. None of these," he flipped through the magazine pages, "appeal to me."

His leg bounced up and down. She leaned against his side, wrapping a foreleg around his arm. "It won't be too long," she said, nuzzling against him. Slowly, his leg stopped bouncing.

"Mr. and Mrs. Chaos?" a young nurse said. She felt Discord tense up, and gave his paw a reassuring squeeze before standing up and walking to the nurse. With a great sigh, he lifted himself from the chair and followed, dragging his feet on the ground.

The nurse guided them through the maze of hallways inside, before finally stopping and opening a small wooden door, gesturing for them to enter. It was a small room, with sterile white walls and a plain blue carpet, with a long, uncomfortable-looking medical bed.

She fluttered into the air and sat down on the bed. Discord followed suit, laying on his stomach and curling next to her. The bed expanded to comfortably hold both of them. The nurse blinked in surprise, but quickly shook it off and approached the counter and cabinets.

"I see the both of you are here for the flu shot," she said as she grabbed items with her magic. "That's good. The influenza strain this year seems particularly nasty." There was a clinking of glass as she did something on the counter, outside their view. "Well, this won't take long at all, don't worry."

She smiled and turned to face them, a syringe filled with clear liquid held in her magic.

Discord yelped and pressed himself against Fluttershy's side. "T-that thing's huge!" he said. "Y-you're not going to stick _that_ in me!"

He buried his face into her shoulder, tucking his limbs behind her. Googly eyes sprouted on his horn and antler, focused on and glaring at the needle. He was trembling violently, shaking his head.

"Discord," she said, brushing the tip of her wing against his back. "It's okay. It's okay. It's not that big."

The eyes on his horns gazed at her skeptically, and he lifted his head, showing an identical expression. The nurse stepped a little closer, holding the needle casually for him to examine.

He flinched, ducking back behind her shoulder. "Looks pretty big to me! And sharp! And definitely painful!" Trembling, he slowly shrank down in size, until he was completely hidden under her wing.

"Oh, Discord..." She lifted up her wing, brushing him with her feathers before folding it back against her side. He crawled closer to her side and pressed against her, still trembling. She sighed and began to stroke his back softly.

After some petting, soft kisses, and whispered assurances, he grew back to his normal size. He still had his arms wrapped around her, though, and was eyeing the needle warily.

"Sir, if you just close your eyes and relax, it'll be fine," the nurse said with a smile. He sighed heavily, but complied as Fluttershy stroked his cheek.

"Alright. I'm going to do this on the count of three. One..." She came closer. His fingers curled into fists.

"Two..." She poised the needle just above his skin. Before she could do anything else, though, Discord's eyes suddenly snapped open. He reeled backward, trying to bat at the needle without coming close to it.

"I know that trick!" he said. "You're going to stick me with that right before you say three, aren't you!" He jumped off of the bed and huddled behind it, glaring at her. "You can't trick me like that! What do you take me for, a fool?!" With a growl, he slinked off into the corner, hackles raised. He huddled in the corner, glaring at the nurse.

Fluttershy sighed, placing a hoof against her forehead. "Oh, Discord..." She turned to the nurse. "We should give him some time to calm down. Can you give me my shot?"

The nurse nodded, swabbing the syringe with a sterilized cotton ball. Fluttershy took in a deep breath and closed her eyes as she approached, letting her muscles relax.

For a few seconds, nothing happened. "Um, Mrs. Fluttershy?" the nurse said. "I'm having a slight problem."

She opened her eyes. The nurse was trying to give her the shot, but a shimmering blue aura had appeared a few inches above her skin and was repelling the syringe. The nurse tried to push the syringe closer, but the aura pushed back harder, even creating a tiny blue hoof to slap the needle away.

Fluttershy turned and glared at Discord. His ears lowered and his shoulders drooped. "Discord," she said. "I know you don't want to get your shot. But [i]I[/i] do! Just let her give me the shot!"

He whined, "But...but I don't want to see you get hurt." The nurse tried to push through the aura, failing again.

She sighed and shook her head. "Then just...don't watch. Cover your eyes, and take down the shield." He frowned, biting his lip. "I promise I'll be fine. Please?"

He let out a whine, but slowly turned around to face the corner, shutting his eyes and covering his ears with his hands. He snapped his tail feathers, and the aura slowly faded away.

Both she and the nurse let out a sigh of relief. She closed her eyes and relaxed, flinching as the nurse stuck the needle in her arm. A few seconds later, she pulled out the syringe, and Fluttershy opened her eyes.

"That wasn't so bad," she said as the nurse swabbed her foreleg with a wet cloth that smelled strongly of alcohol. She glanced over at Discord, and saw that he hadn't reacted in the slightest—he was as still as a statue, pressing his ears to his head.

She sighed and shook her head as the nurse placed a yellow band-aid on her foreleg. "He's being very stubborn about this," she said quietly. "I'm not sure how long it will take me to convince him..."

Suddenly, her ears perked up, her eyes lighting up with an idea. She glanced over at Discord, biting her lip, her eyes filling with guilt. "I'm sorry," she said under her breath. To the nurse, she said, "If I talk to him, and reassure him, can you...give him the shot while he's distracted?"

Her gaze whipped back to him. He hadn't reacted. The nurse bit her lip. "I'm not sure, ma'am. I don't feel comfortable tricking patients."

Fluttershy sighed. "If we don't do this, I'm not sure how long it'll take to talk him into accepting it." She shivered. "I once spent a whole day just trying to get him to go to a dentist appointment. At least then I could tell him it wouldn't be painful."

The nurse frowned, but still grabbed another syringe with her magic and nodded. Fluttershy took a deep breath and flew over to Discord, tapping him on the shoulder.

He flinched, head swiveling to face her. She smiled reassuringly, turning to show the band-aid on her foreleg. "See?" she said. "It wasn't that bad."

The rest of his body rotated with a clicking sound until it and his head were properly aligned. He lowered his head until his muzzle was just inches from the band-aid, his eyes narrowed. "I still think it was a rather large needle," he said, hands hovering over her foreleg. "I'm glad I didn't see it..." He shivered.

She clasped his hands between her hooves. "It really wasn't that bad, Discord. Do you think you'd be willing to..."

He shook his head quickly. "Nope. No way. Not happening. Get a refund for whatever you paid, and—" He yelped, his fur standing on edge.

Both he and Fluttershy glanced down at his upper arm. A syringe was injected there, and just now being pulled out by the nurse's magic. Discord shivered as she swabbed his skin, tears forming in the corner of his eyes. A tiny whimper came from his throat.

Fluttershy pressed her face into his hands, kissing his knuckles. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she muttered in between kisses. "I'm sorry. I just want you to be healthy." She kissed his knuckles a few more times as the nurse placed a band-aid on his arm. As soon as she was done, Fluttershy wrapped her forelegs around his torso, leaning down to kiss him where he had gotten his shot.

He wrapped his arms around her as she nuzzled against his arm, planting kisses on his skin. The nurse coughed, making the two of them glance up. "You're, um, free to leave whenever you want," she said. "And since you've already paid, you can just...go out the door."

She backed away towards the door. "I'll just...leave you two alone." She backed out and quickly closed the door behind her.

Fluttershy turned her attention back to Discord, trailing kisses down his arm. "Flutters..." he sighed. "It's not that bad. Come on. Just look up, would you?"

She did so. Tiny tears were still in the corners of his eyes, but he was smiling. With a swipe of his claw, his eyes were dry. "I'm fine, see? I was just surprised." He kissed her forehead. "You don't need to fuss over me."

She whimpered, pressing closer against his chest. "But...I tricked you."

He patted her on the head. "Yes, but only because I was being my stubborn old self. The shot wasn't _fun_, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected." He nuzzled her behind her ear. "Thank you for looking out for me. I don't know what I'd do without you." His grip around her tightened.

She shifted in his hold until she could comfortably lean against his chest. "So...you're not mad?" she said quietly.

He scratched her behind the ear, making her coo softly. "No, of course not," he said. "How can I be? If anything, you should be mad at me for being such a stubborn old spirit."

She brushed a hoof against his upper arm, where the band-aid was. "Well...no one likes pain," she said. "I can understand why you didn't want the shot..."

He shuddered as her hoof crossed his wound. "Well, at least I know it's not as bad as I feared. I suppose if I _have_ to get more in the future, I'd do it..."

She shook her head. "That's probably not going to happen. I only got mine this year because of how bad this year's flu is. And I wanted to make sure you got one, too, because I want you to be safe." She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

He suddenly stood up, still holding her in his arms. "Well, I'm hungry!" he declared. "If our 'I-understand-you-and-love-you' moment is out of the way, why don't we grab lunch?"

She giggled and nodded. "Alright. Sugar Cube Corner? Oh, and we should let them know we've left." He nodded and snapped his fingers, and they disappeared in a flash of white light. A paper airplane with the message 'hey we left -Discord and Flutters' written in pink crayon appeared and sailed through the door and down the hallway, towards the desk.


	31. Luggage and Trips

Fluttershy glanced around the bedroom, reaching out and grabbing a teal shawl, tucking it into her saddlebags.

She heard the door open and glanced up to see Discord walking in. He paused in the doorway, looking at the half-full saddlebags and scattered items on the bed in front of her.

"Oh...your trip with the Equestrian Rare Animals Group is soon, isn't it?" he said.

She nodded, glancing between two different scarves before deciding on the purple and lime green scarf, hand-knit by Discord. "The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures, sweetheart. And yes, we're leaving for the Crystal Empire in two days."

Her eyes lit up, and she clasped her hooves in front of her. "We're going to help shear the crystal ewes, and care for them in between shears...it's going to be amazing!"

He frowned. "How long are you going to be gone, again?"

"Just three days," she said, carefully adding a journal, quill, and sealed ink pot to her bags. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Can't I come with you?" he whined, pouting slightly.

She sighed, putting down the objects she was holding and focusing all of her attention on him. "Discord, we talked about this when I received the invitation, remember?"

He sighed, crossing his arms. "I can't go because only you were invited and they can't accommodate me, and because someone needs to watch over the sanctuary and the new volunteers from the School of Friendship."

His frown deepened, lips drooping past his jaw impossibly. "And I'm also not allowed to just teleport you straight there and back when you're done, because the Society wants its members to stick together, and I'm not allowed to transport everyone because of bureaucracy."

She flew over, placing a hoof on his shoulder. "Yes, but that doesn't mean you can't teleport there yourself in the evenings...or that you can't stay the night."

His frown slowly lifted, and he uncrossed his arms. "That's true, at least. Can I also check up on you during the day?"

She frowned, narrowing her eyes. "Discord, the last time I agreed to that on a trip, you were checking on me every ten minutes."

He protested, "You were in the Dragonlands! I was very worried about your safety, surrounded by all those rocks, lava, and dragons. The Crystal Empire is much safer, so I won't pop in as often." He paused. "Probably."

She sighed, shaking her head lightly. "How about you make something I can use to contact you?" she said. "That way, if I need you, I can call you, and you don't have to worry about me."

"Well, you don't need anything to do that. I'll always come when you call. But..." He snapped his fingers, though nothing visible happened. "There. Now, if you're ever actually in danger, I'll receive an alert."

She smiled. "There. Now you won't need to worry about me, right?" He slowly nodded. "Alright. I'm just going to finish packing." She glanced back at the items she had laid out. "Now, which grooming kit should I take?"

"Why not just take everything?" Discord said. "Space is no problem. I can always add more space."

She shook her head, browsing the contents of her grooming kits. "No, it's better that I just take a few things now. If I take too many things, I'll just have a lot of clutter, and it'll make it harder to find what I need." She decided on the kit that had more combs and brushes, packing it into her bag.

"But what if you really need something, and you don't have it?" he asked. "What if a freak magic surge means I can't hear you calling for me? What if I can't come in time?"

She sighed. "Discord, the last time your magic failed was when you were sick, and you're perfectly healthy right now. I don't think your spells are going to fail."

He wrung his tail, muttering about things that could happen. She turned to the dresser and pulled out a small suitcase, flying over and holding it out to him.

"I know you're worried. If it makes you feel better, you can help me pack. Fill up this suitcase with anything you think I might need."

He took the suitcase, opening it up and sticking his head in to look at it. "I can put anything in here?" he asked.

She nodded. "Will that make you feel better? Knowing that I should have everything I need?"

He paused, then nodded eagerly. "I know just where to start!" He rushed out of the room, creating random objects and tossing them into the open suitcase as he went.

She smiled and shook her head, turning back to her saddlebags.

* * *

"Discord, if I don't leave soon, I'll miss the train," she said. He just whined, pulling her closer to his chest.

"One more minuuuute," he said, placing a small kiss on her forehead. She sighed, nuzzling his cheek.

After another minute of cuddling, she tapped her hoof against his chest. "I really do have to leave now," she said. He let out a great sigh, but released her from his grip.

She fluttered over to the doorway, placing her saddlebags on her back. Discord floated over to her, holding out the suitcase.

"I put in everything I could think of that you might need," he said. "And I also threw in plenty of snacks."

He opened it up. Stuffed in one half were a large amount of plastic bags filled to the brim with various snacks. The other half was filled with a large pile of...keychains.

She held up one keychain—one of a sparkly snowflake. She rose an eyebrow, glancing up at him.

He tapped on some diagrams drawn in crayon taped to the inside of the lid. "I made a list on when you want to use each one, and how to use them."

"Now, I believe you have a train to catch." She dropped the keychain back in and snapped the suitcase shut, while he tore a portal in the space in front of him.

She picked the suitcase up in her mouth, flying through the portal into the Ponyville train station. Discord flew after her, letting the portal close behind him as she handed her ticket to the conductor.

Just before she got on the train, he coughed into his paw. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, leaning out to her, hands clasped behind his back.

She smiled and dropped the suitcase, flying up to peck him on the lips. His cheeks turned pink, and he slowly lifted a brown paper lunch sack with a drawing of a heart on it. "I meant your lunch, but I'm not complaining," he said, returning the light kiss.

She blushed and grabbed the sack with her wing, turning back around and grabbing the suitcase before finally taking her place on the train. Once she found her seat with other Society members, she peered out the window and waved at Discord. He waved back.

She kept her eyes on him as the train pulled out of the station. She just barely saw the flash of him teleporting away once he was almost completely out of her sight.

* * *

After taking some time to catch up with Tree Hugger and other Society members, Fluttershy found an unclaimed seat and let her saddlebags slide off her back with a sigh.

Her stomach growled, and she dug through the paper sack Discord had handed her. She pulled out two cucumber sandwiches, a banana, and a tiny, whistling teapot, which transformed into a teacup as she held it in her hoof.

She giggled, taking a sip of the tea, and nibbling at her cucumber sandwiches. She watched the landscape roll by as she ate her lunch, but her eyes soon fell to the suitcase Discord had packed for her.

As she peeled her banana, she lifted the surprisingly light suitcase off of the floor and onto her lap, popping the lid open. She leaned forward, trying to decipher Discord's scrawled, messy handwriting on his diagrams.

_Fluttershy, I'm sure when you saw all of these keychains, you thought I had finally lost it! Well, rest assured, that is not the case. Your hubby is still mostly sane._ She giggled and shook her head, continuing to read. _But, my dear, these are not just keychains. They are actually more tiny suitcases._

_To the right, you'll see a picture of each of the keychain/suitcases, explaining what each one is for. If you ever need the contents of one, just pull it out and give the chain a firm tug—that'll make it grow to its normal size. Repeat the action to shrink it back down into a keychain._

_I wish you safe travels on your trip, my love!_ Underneath that, he had drawn a picture of himself, blowing her a kiss, surrounded by hearts in all colors of the rainbow.

She smiled, then turned her attention to the papers taped to the right. It was filled with accurate crayon drawings of the keychains, with short descriptions of what each one was meant to be used for.

Remembering earlier, she searched for the drawing of the sparkly snowflake keychain. Next to it, he had written, _For when it gets very cold, or there's a lot of snow. Includes a scarf, coat, snow boots, and mug of hot cocoa, among other things._

She smiled and scanned through the rest of the drawings. There was a tent keychain, for if she couldn't find a place to sleep, a picnic basket if she couldn't find anywhere to eat, a sun for if things suddenly got hot...the list went on. Most of the keychains were reasonable in her opinion, but others...just made her shake her head, smiling.

A round keychain with a purple swirl, to find her way home if she was sucked into another dimension? A tea kettle, for when she really, really wanted some tea? A clock shaped one, said to be stuffed with watches and sundials, in case she couldn't figure out the time? She shook her head, chuckling. "Oh, Discord."

She took a small hoofful of star-shaped gummy candies before closing the suitcase and looking back out the window.

* * *

The train arrived at the Crystal Empire, and everyone slowly filed off. A crystal unicorn waved at them, and they approached her, gathering in a semicircle.

"Hello! Is everypony here part of the..." She checked a sheet of paper in her hoof. "Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures?" Everyone in the group nodded. "Well, it's lovely to meet all of you! I'll be taking you to your hotel so that you can get settled in."

She guided them down the streets until they finally came across a small crystal building. "Here we are!" their guide said. "Now, somepony will be coming by in about half an hour to show you where the crystal ewes are being kept before their shearing."

The members slowly filed in as a group, each going up to the desk in pairs to get their reserved room keys. Fluttershy got at the end of the line with Tree Hugger, admiring the shining crystal walls as the line slowly crept forward.

When they were at the front of the line, the clerk's eyes widened, his ears flattening against his head. "I-I'm sorry, ma'am," he stammered. "You two were going to room together, yes?" They nodded, and he gulped. "Well, the last guests in your reserved room, a bunch of teenagers, somehow...stole one of the beds. We still don't know how. Perhaps we can get you a small cot..."

Tree Hugger frowned, then smiled and slung a hoof over Fluttershy's shoulders. "We'll figure it out," she said. "The vibes here are so good, I'm sure things will work out just fine." Fluttershy smiled and nodded.

The clerk nodded and handed the keys to them, apologizing again, ears flattening against his head as they stepped aside and walked away.

Fluttershy and Tree Hugger walked up the stairs. "Hotel cots are so bogus, though," Tree Hugger sighed. "Those things are so stiff, and there's never enough space. They always throw off my aura." She smiled. "Maybe we could share the bed."

Fluttershy thought about it...then remembered the last trip she went on, where she learned that Treezie was a cuddler when she was asleep, and Discord did not react well when he saw another pony cuddling with his wife. "Maybe not," she said. "Discord is going to be visiting this evening, and...you remember last time."

Tree Hugger flinched and shuddered. "I've never seen such a bright red aura," she said. "I swear he was about to throw me out the window." She pulled out her key and opened the door, stepping aside to let Fluttershy in first.

The room was small but cozy, with one small bed, a large window, and a small bathroom. There were deep scratches on the doorframe, and scuff marks on the carpet...all leading to the space where a bed had likely once been.

Tree Hugger and Fluttershy quietly set down their luggage. Tree Hugger gestured to the empty bed and said, "I'd hate for you and Discord to need to share one of those cots. You should take the bed."

Fluttershy shook her head. "Oh, no. Discord will think of something, I just know it. You should take the bed." Tree Hugger sighed, but sat on the bed, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, letting out the soft sighs she always did when she was meditating.

Fluttershy sat in an armchair in the corner of the room. _Hotel cots sound so uncomfortable...but I'm sure Discord will think of some way to get a bed in here._ she thought. _If only Discord had packed a bed._ She chuckled to herself.

Her head and ears suddenly perked up, and she opened up the suitcase. After a bit of digging, she pulled out the keychain shaped like a tent. She gave the thin metal a light tug and stumbled as it expanded in her front hooves.

A sheet of paper was taped on top. _Set on the ground, and press this button._ She carefully set the oddly-shaped suitcase on the ground beside the bed, making sure there was plenty of space, and pressed the bright red button on its surface.

The suitcase popped up, expanding into a small yellow tent with butterflies on it. She bit her lip, crossing her hooves as she pulled back the entrance flap.

The inside of the tent was much bigger—bigger than the hotel room they were in. A soft green carpet covered the plastic floor, and a disco light hung from the ceiling, giving off a soft light. Printed photos of her and Discord covered the walls, crudely taped into place. Right in the center was a canopy bed with red and pink sheets and pillows.

She stepped in, jumping onto the bed and staring up at the canopy. The mattress was soft, sinking under her but still supporting her weight. She let her head flop over to the side, and saw another flap in the wall, with the word _Bathroom_ stitched onto it. She knew there wasn't a flap there on the outside of the tent.

She glanced over at the other side and saw a fridge with a clear door. Inside, she saw small tubs of ice cream, fresh apples, and bottles of iced tea. She yawned, snuggling into the soft pillows under her head. The train ride had been so long, and the bed was so soft and comfortable...

Her eyes slowly slid shut as she drifted to sleep.

* * *

She and Tree Hugger both yawned as they opened their hotel door and stepped inside. After they had been stirred from their nap and meditation, respectively, their tour guide had shown them the crystal ewes, before proceeding to give them a quick tour of some tourist highlights of the Crystal Empire, and then taking them to a popular restaurant for dinner.

The afternoon had passed quickly, leaving them with sore hooves, full bellies, and a general sense of exhaustion. Tree Hugger yawned again and climbed onto the bed, still not batting an eye at the tent that had suddenly appeared.

"What a day," she said. "I got good vibes from everyone, though. So radical to see so many ponies with such sparkling auras!" She yawned again, resting her head on the pillows.

Fluttershy yawned. "Good night, Tree Hugger. See you in the morning." Tree Hugger returned the sentiment, and Fluttershy entered the small tent.

She flung herself onto the bed, resisting the urge to wrap herself in the blankets and fall asleep right away. "Discord, I'm done for the day," she said aloud.

There was a flash of light to her left, and Discord lunged towards her, wrapping his body around her and peppering her face with kisses. "I missed you," he said. "Everything at the sanctuary went fine today, the new volunteers did their work...how was your day?"

She nuzzled into his chest, lightly kissing the nape of his neck. "Today was good," she said. "I got to see the crystal ewes, and they're just adorable. We got to see a lot of other things in the Empire, too. There was a lot of walking." She pulled her back hooves closer towards her.

Discord slowly unwrapped himself, after planting a last kiss on her cheek, and slid off the bed onto the ground. Kneeling on the floor, he began to massage her back hooves, causing her to sigh, her eyes drifting shut.

"Why are you in the tent? I thought you were going to share a room with Tree Embrace. Did something happen to the hotel?" he asked, just now taking the time to look around.

"Sort of," she said, rolling over to face him. He kept massaging her hooves. "In our reserved room, the last group somehow...stole one of the beds."

He paused in his massaging for one second. The next, he burst into loud laughter, slumping onto the floor as tears rolled down his face. "Th-they stole a _bed_!?" he wheezed. "How did they even...why would they..." He continued laughing, pounding at the ground with a fist.

She giggled, placing a hoof against her lips. "Discord, please! We're in a hotel, people could be sleeping!" she said over his howling. She still couldn't stop another giggle from escaping her.

He let out a few more laughs, sitting up and wiping a tear from his eye. "Heh, don't worry about it. I made this tent soundproof, too. Unless someone deliberately _wants_ for us to hear them, or if we want for them to hear us, nothing can get through."

He tilted his head. "Why put up the tent, though? You know I could have made a bed for you, probably much more comfortable than whatever Tree Hugger is sleeping on right now..." He hummed and floated over to the tent flap, peering out and snapping his fingers. "There. A softer mattress for her...that will return to normal when you two turn in your keys."

He flashed back over to her and began to rub at her front hooves. "But why put up the tent?"

She smiled. "I remembered our first camping trip, and how you insisted on the inside of the tent being like a large suite." He chuckled and rubbed at the back of his neck. "And I figured, even though I'd convinced you that a mostly normal tent was perfectly fine for camping...I'm not technically camping. I thought I'd at least see if you included a bed with this tent."

She blushed. "And I just thought...if the volunteers or the sanctuary tired you out, I'd hate to ask you to do more things for me."

He smiled. "You're too sweet." He placed a kiss on her hoof, then snapped his fingers. "If someone, anyone, knocks on the hotel door, we'll hear it in here." He pulled a 'Do Not Disturb' sign with a drawing of him wearing a face mask on it out of thin air, then tossed it over his shoulder. It disappeared in a flash of light. "And that will keep anyone from disturbing us tonight unless there's some emergency."

She smiled and let up a loud yawn. "Goodness, look at me, keeping you up after the long day you've had!" he said. He clapped his hands, and the disco light slowly dimmed until it only gave off a soft blue light. He lifted her up in the crook of his arm and tucked her underneath the covers, fluffing her pillow with his tail.

She yawned again as he slithered under the covers, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you," she murmured, her eyelids slowly drooping.

Just before she fell asleep, she felt him kiss her forehead and mumble, "Love you too."

* * *

The rest of the trip went perfectly well. Her days were busy, either helping groom or shear the crystal ewes, or exploring the Empire with Tree Hugger and her other friends. Discord came every evening, massaging her hooves and listening as she gushed about how amazing the ewes were, and telling her about the trouble Angel's children were giving the volunteers. And in the morning, he would make a large breakfast for himself, her, and Tree Hugger, before they all went their separate ways.

But now, it was over. Every ewe was sheered, and they had all packed up, handed in their keys, and got onto the train. Fluttershy gazed out the window and the rolling crystal fields that passed by. She hoisted the suitcase onto her lap, opening it up and grabbing a hoofful of apple slices.

Some of the keychain-suitcases Discord had packed actually came in handy. Nothing quite as crazy as his 'if thrown into another dimension' one, but others had gotten some use. It had rained suddenly one day, which made the rainy day keychain (with a raincoat and umbrella hat) useful. She had also offered miscellaneous items from various keychains to other members who needed them. And she had helped herself to plenty of the snacks he had packed for her.

_I'll thank him for everything once I get back home._

* * *

The train ride was uneventful and passed by quickly once she started a conversation with Tree Hugger. Before she knew it, they were pulling into the Ponyville Station. Almost everypony, including her, gathered up their luggage and filed off the train.

She waved goodbye to Tree Hugger, who was staying on the train for a few more stops, before stepping off onto the platform and glancing around. Off to the side was Discord, holding a whiteboard in his hands with _Fluttershy_ written on it in cursive.

As soon as their eyes met, he squealed and dropped the whiteboard, zipping towards her through the crowd. He tackled her and lifted her into a big hug, rubbing his cheek against hers. The suitcase fell from her grip onto the ground.

"I missed you so much," he said, still nuzzling her cheek.

She laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "You saw me this morning, and last night," she said.

"I know that! But it's just not the _same_ when you're away from home, and I can't just pop in to check on you," he said, switching from nuzzling her to showering her with light kisses.

She giggled. "I think you were able to see me plenty." Her face became serious, and she asked quietly, "You weren't too worried about me, were you?"

He paused in his affections, then quietly answered, "I was...a little worried, yes. Something always seems to go wrong when you or your friends visit the Crystal Empire, be it a life-threatening crisis or a mistaken identity. But I told myself I gave you everything you could possibly need, and...that made me feel less worried. That, and knowing you could handle whatever came your way." He caressed her cheek.

She smiled up at him. "Well, no crisis happened this time...though I did use some of the things you'd packed." She kissed his cheek. "Maybe we should do that again for any of my future trips."

He smiled. "I'd be more than happy to. Now, how about we head home? I'm sure you're tired from your train ride." She smiled and nodded, and he shifted his hold on her so that she was in the crook of his lion arm, then used his claw to pull back the air in front of him like a curtain. Behind it was the front door of their home, which he opened, carrying her inside as he scooped the suitcase up with his tail.


	32. Spa Day

Fluttershy sighed, curling closer to Discord. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her closer, pulling the bedsheets up to her chin. "Long day?" he murmured into her mane.

"Mhm," she said. "Seraphim was causing some trouble today, and he convinced some of his siblings to join in." She nestled into his neck. "He doesn't look like Angel, but he certainly takes after him in his younger days."

He ran his fingers through her mane. "You've been working hard at the sanctuary all week. At least tomorrow's the weekend, and you can relax."

"Relaxing does sound nice...after I finish the morning checkups and feeding."

Discord sighed. "Can't you just...not do those? Let Dr. Fauna and the volunteers take care of everything and spend the whole day just relaxing?"

She shook her head. "No, I have to do the morning checkups so that I can delegate tasks for the day...and I can't imagine not helping with feeding the animals at least once during the day..."

He sighed again, placing his chin on top of her head. "Alright. I'll just have to make sure you relax as much as possible for the rest of the day." She made a soft noise in response, but nothing else. "Sweetie?"

She was fast asleep, her breathing soft and steady. He shifted his grip on her, making sure she had plenty of space to turn in her sleep, before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep himself.

* * *

Discord glanced around the room one last time, checking and making sure everything was perfect. Once he was sure, he nodded to himself and teleported to the living room, laying down on the couch and keeping his gaze focused on the front door.

He pulled a glittery pink pocketwatch out of his mouth, his tongue acting as the chain. He flicked it open, nodding to himself when he saw that only fifteen minutes had passed since Fluttershy had left. _If she's not back in the next fifteen, _he thought,_ I'm going over there to steal her away. Weekends are supposed to be her days off, she shouldn't be pressed into working._

He snapped his tongue back into his mouth, swallowing the watch. He kept one eye trained on the door but swiveled the other so that it was facing the ornate grandfather clock pressed against the wall.

Just five minutes later, the front door opened, and Fluttershy stepped inside. "Sorry I'm so late. Some of the volunteers were completely new, and I had to figure out what areas they should go to so they could watch and learn."

He gave his head a quick shake, rolling his eyeballs back to their normal positions, before swimming through the air towards her. "There's nothing to be sorry for," he said as he circled her. "If it was a problem, I'd have gone over and picked you up."

She smiled, kissing his cheek. "Well, I have the rest of the day free." She brushed a wing against his back. "Do you have anything in mind?"

He shivered at her touch, floating lower to the ground as his muscles went limp. She brushed a hoof under his chin, and he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from blabbing something sappy. He closed his eyes and shook his head with the sound of a tolling bell, quickly straightening his posture.

"You may not remember—because you passed out afterward—but last night, I promised I would make sure you relax as much as possible." He bent at the waist, offering her his arm. "If the fair lady will allow me to be her escort..."

She giggled, sliding her hoof into the crook of his arm. He straightened up, and she bobbed up into the air next to him, floating without even needing to use her wings. He spun in place, the room's colors blurring around them, starting to shift into more subdued shades—baby blue, pastel pink, and white.

With a click of his heels, Discord's spinning suddenly stopped, jerking her to a halt. She closed her eyes and leaned her head on his shoulder, waiting for the dizziness to go away. He patted the top of her head gently, mumbling a soft apology.

Soon, her head felt clear, and she opened her eyes. She found herself staring at a plain wall with pink, blue, and white stripes. She looked up at Discord and rose an eyebrow.

"Uh, whoops!" he said. "Looks like I made us face the wrong direction." He turned around, pulling her alongside him.

She gasped softly. The rest of the room looked like a strange version of the Ponyville Day Spa. There was a large hot tub (decorated to look like a volcano), which was filling the whole room with steam. There were two soft massage chairs nearby, with white gloves that matched the shape of Discord's hands draped on the back of each. Piled in the corner were buckets of materials—she could see green mud masks and cucumber slices from where she was floating.

"Like it?" Discord said, pulling his arm away from hers and letting her drift slowly to the ground. "I was thinking of getting us into Ponyville Day Spa, but it is just _so_ busy on weekends! Most of the masseuses were booked." He floated up and begin to pace in midair.

"And I thought, well, if there are that many creatures around, the crowd would make it impossible for you to relax." He spread his arms out, gesturing around him. "So I thought I'd take what I know from our trips there and make us our very own at-home spa!"

He clasped his hands together, grinning. "Discord, this...this is amazing!" she said. "You made all of this in the twenty minutes I was gone?"

He waved it off. "Oh, I may have created a few things to throw in here during breakfast. It wasn't _all_ in just twenty minutes." He smirked. "Though most of it was."

She giggled, walking over to the hot tub. With a flap of her wings, she could peer over the edge. The rim was covered in glowing lava, and she bit her lip, glancing over at Discord. He floated up beside her and pressed down on the lava, showing that it was just a foamy substance, which gave easily under the pressure he put on it. She relaxed after seeing this.

She turned her attention to the water in the tub. It was bubbling gently and giving off steam that smelled faintly of lavender. She carefully floated down, dipping her back hooves into it before letting the rest of her body sink in slowly.

She leaned her head back with a sigh, spreading her forehooves on the lava cushion. The water was wonderfully warm, and the seat was in the perfect position for her to comfortably sit and lean on the comfortably warm cushion on the rim.

With a loud whoop, Discord dropped from the air above like a rock. He splashed down into the middle of the hot tub, making her shield her face from the water he splashed onto her.

He paddled a few laps around the tub, then swam over to her and leaned against the edge. "Feels good, right?" She nodded. "Good. I wasn't sure if it wasn't hot enough, or too hot..."

She nuzzled against his shoulder. "It's great."

He gestured behind him, and a large can of green mud with a paintbrush inside floated over to them. He grabbed the handle. "Care for a mud mask? I made it just like Aloe and Lotus do."

She smiled. "Alright." He smiled and began to paint the mud onto her face. She giggled as the bristles tickled her face. After a few minutes of making sure there was a good layer of mud on her face, he pulled away and became quiet. She heard the signs of a struggle and opened her eyes.

He had stuck his head inside the can of mud and seemed to be struggling to pull himself out. "Ah cah't ge it!" he shouted.

She sighed, grabbed the can, and pulled as hard as she could. It slipped off of his head and went sailing over the edge of the hot tub, landing to the floor with a clang. Discord, his face completely covered in green mud, winced. "I'll clean that up later."

He smeared the mud around on his face, smoothing it out a bit (and leaving fingerprints behind), then clapped his hands together. A covered silver tray floated over to them, and he whipped the cover off with a flourish to reveal four circular cucumber slices.

Fluttershy smiled and grabbed two of them, leaning back and getting ready to place them on her eyes. Discord just snatched the other two and slapped them onto his face, but frowned in confusion. He suddenly lunged forward, grabbing her hooves just before she could put on her cucumber slices.

"Wait!" he said. "Those are mine, and they're not cucumbers!" He pulled the slices off his eyes, grabbed the ones she was holding out of her hooves, and let the others float gently over her eyes.

"Discord, if those weren't cucumbers, what were they?" she asked, hearing him flop back onto the edge next to her.

"Green peppers," he said. "The capsaicin helps make my eyes more vibrant, and cucumbers don't really help with my eye bags anyway." She heard him chewing. "Plus, they're much tastier. I'm sorry. I should have labeled everything more clearly—you almost had burning eyes!"

She shifted closer to him. "It's alright. You stopped me in time. My hero," she said with a giggle. After a bit of splashing, he managed to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to him.

* * *

After what seemed like a few more minutes in the tub, during which she almost found herself nodding off, an alarm clock began to beep annoyingly. "Ugh," Discord said. "It's been twenty minutes already?"

Fluttershy pulled the cucumber slices off of her eyes. Discord, nibbling on one of his pepper slices, was flinging an alarm clock across the room. "And why did I make that thing so annoying?" he said, swallowing his slice.

She sighed and began to crawl out of the tub, shivering as the cool air touched her skin. Discord crawled out after her, falling to the ground in a wet, sopping heap. He raised one claw and snapped, and the hot tub began to boil, releasing more steam into the air.

She flew down next to him, offering him a hoof. He accepted it, pulling himself back into a standing position. "Thanks," he said. "I guess more hot tube time will have to wait. Wouldn't want your precious smooth hooves to get all pruney."

"Or you to fall asleep in the tub again," she said, setting her cucumber slices down. "Are those massage chairs?"

He nodded, laying on his stomach on one of them. "Do you want another set of cucumber slices?"

She shook her head, laying down on the other table. "Maybe later, when we're in the hot tub again."

As soon as she had laid down, the gloves lifted into the air, moving as though an invisible Discord was putting them on. They moved behind her, out of her sight, and began to gently rub at her shoulders. She sighed and sank into the soft chair, while a glance to her right told her Discord was receiving the same treatment.

He twirled his finger in the air, turning their chairs so that they were facing each other. Discord reached down, his hands clipping through the ground, and pulled up fistfuls of hoof polish.

"Remember when we used to have sleepovers and do makeovers?" he said, letting the bottles hover between them. "I thought it'd be nice to do something like that again."

She shivered as the gloves stroked the margins of her wings. "T-that sounds nice," she said. She looked over the selection and pointed out a glossy pink polish. "I'd like that one, please."

He nodded, grabbing it out of the air. "I'd like these, in whatever pattern you choose, please," he said, pushing bottles of glossy lime green and sky blue, and glittery neon yellow and bright orange in her direction. The other colors landed on the ground, while their choices remained floating in front of them.

She pulled the brush out of the blue polish, while he unsheathed the claws on his lion paw. She became to paint them, while he stared to paint her right hoof. The gloves were still massaging their backs.

* * *

They finished painting each others' hooves and claws around the same time the gloves lifted away from them, dusting themselves off and hanging back on the chairs. Discord began blowing on his fingers, glaring at his wet claws. He took it a deep breath, then blew a cloud of red smoke over his hands. The polish dried immediately.

She held her front hooves out to him, and he blew the same cloud of red smoke over them. His breath was hot, almost painfully so, but her polish dried, and the cloud dissipated immediately after. "Thank you," she said, hopping off of the bed.

He shook his head, making a clicking sound with his mouth. "My dear Fluttershy, I haven't touched your back hooves yet! If you lay back down, I'll get them done in no time."

She sat down, and he approached, pouring the hoof polish she had chosen onto a paintbrush. With just a few quick swipes, her back hooves were polished, and another cloud of red smoke dried them.

"Thank you, Discord." She got off the bed, grabbing the colors he had chosen. "Now, what about polishing your back hooves?"

He sat up on his chair, placing his feet on a footstool as three small paintbrushes and one large one appeared in front of her. She smiled and used them to polish his hoof and claws—each dragon claw a different color, of course—before Discord finished them off by blowing the same cloud of red smoke.

"Now, what say we try the hot tub again?" he said, snapping his fingers. "Our polish won't wear off until we want it to."

She nodded, and they both flew back over to the tub.

* * *

When the grandfather clock in the living room tolled noon, Fluttershy and Discord appeared inside the kitchen in a flash of light. Fluttershy was in Discord's arms, nuzzling against his chest, while he bent down and nuzzled her cheek.

Their faces were flushed slightly from the hot tub and steam, and there were some traces of mud masks still on their chins and foreheads. Fluttershy shivered as they entered the room, prompting Discord to snap his fingers and summon fluffy bathrobes for the both of them before setting her down in her chair.

As he took his seat, bowls of soup appeared in front of both of them. They both began eating, though they would keep glancing up at the other and chuckling to themselves.

After another few soaks in the hot tub, they had decided to do their hair and makeup. But Discord was never to type to have a "small" makeover—he insisted on going all the way, as they did during their sleepovers in the past.

His mane had several tiny braids sticking out of it, as many as she could fit in, and between those braids, he had put his mane into curlers. His goatee and tail feathers were also tied into braids, tied off with small yellow ribbons. He was wearing bright orange eye shadow and black mascara, glossy pink lipstick, and had a large amount of blue blush on his cheeks. Fluttershy looked up at him and giggled.

He glanced up at her and grinned. He had managed to fill her mane and tail with messy braids, and add some mane glitter to them. He had added what were _supposed_ to be designs of golden vines on her front hooves, but just ended up turning them into a pink-and-gold mess. Her makeup looked nice, with pink eye shadow, lip gloss, and blush, but he had ended up putting on too much blush and eye shadow, meaning most of her face was covered in glittery pink powder.

They both looked at each other for a few more seconds, biting their lips, before they burst out laughing.

After a few seconds of chuckling, they managed to calm down, Discord swiping a tear out of the corner of his eye. "Heh, I don't think any creature is going to hire me as a makeup artist anytime soon." This got another chuckle out of Fluttershy.

"Do you want to hit the spa again after this? Or maybe just spend the rest of the day doing nothing?" he asked, pouring some maple syrup into his soup before taking a spoonful and nodding in satisfaction.

"Maybe we can use the spa again another day," she said. "Right now, I'd just like to—" she yawned. "Curl up and take a little nap. Spa trips always seem to make me sleepy, especially when there's a hot tub involved."

"Your wish is my command," he said, lifting his bowl and drinking the rest of his soup. He took bites out of the bowl until she finished her soup, at which point he snapped his fingers and teleported them both into their bed.

She yawned, closing her eyes and snuggling against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and she smiled when she felt him playing with the braids in her mane. As he pulled the covers up to her chin, she slowly drifted off to sleep.


	33. Need Your Wings

Discord and Fluttershy appeared next to a lake, where a large group of pegasi was waiting. Rainbow Dash was pacing in front of them, wearing her Wonderbolts uniform and a whistle. She jumped a little and flew over to them, giving Fluttershy a quick hug.

"I really appreciate you coming," she said, handing her a pair of goggles. "I know you're not a Ponyville pegasus anymore, but it doesn't hurt to get all the wings we can." She frowned and scraped her hoof on the ground. "Especially since I'm only allowed to observe, not participate."

Fluttershy put on the goggles. "Oh, it's no trouble at all. I just hope I can be helpful."

Discord waved his paw in the air. "Yes, excuse me, Captain Rainbow?" Rainbow rolled her eyes and gestured for him to continue. "Why can't I just lift up this water," he pulled a small orb of it up with his magic, "and carry it to Cloudsdale? I'm sure there's a lot of good unicorn mages in town who could also do the same thing."

Rainbow hovered in the air, smirking. "Because creating the tornado is something pegasi in each town and city are proud of! It's a part of our civic duty, a way to show who's best at flying!" She landed on the ground and mumbled, "Plus I've learned there's some bureaucracy that makes it hard to legally get non-pegasi to volunteer for Cloudsdale. I heard Twilight is looking through some of those laws and seeing what makes sense and what doesn't."

Discord nodded. "Ah, bureaucracy. The bane of all things." He flung the orb of water away, where it splashed onto a pegasus who was dozing off, causing her to jolt awake. "Well, I'll still be here...as Fluttershy's moral support." He scratched her behind the ear, making her coo in appreciation.

"Whatever you want, Discord. Just don't get sucked in." Rainbow turned away and blew into her whistle. Each pegasus jolted to attention. "Alright, ponies! Get lined up, just like we practiced, and wait for my signal!"

The pegasi rushed to form lines. Fluttershy flew up to give Discord a quick kiss on the cheek before flying into her own place in line. Rainbow stood between the group and the lake, though not in anypony's way. Discord snapped his fingers and created himself a cheerleader's uniform with a pink skirt, yellow shirt with a glittery pink "F" on the chest, and two pink pom-poms.

He waved the pom-poms in the air, cheering Fluttershy's name, causing her to blush and giggle. Rainbow raised a hoof in the air, and his cheering quieted down, though he kept his pom-poms trembling in front of him.

"Ready...Go!" shouted Rainbow, bringing her hoof down. The pegasi rushed past her and began to fly in a practiced formation as fast as they could. Discord resumed his cheering as Fluttershy entered the forming vortex.

"Shy! Shy! She's our mare! If she can't do it, I don't care!" He blinked, freezing halfway through a cartwheel. "Wait, that doesn't sound quite right..."

"Discord!" Rainbow shouted from behind him. "Get away from there! You're right in prime vortex wind zone!"

"What's that? Speak Ponish, for goodness sake!" he shouted back after finishing his cartwheel. Before he could begin his next cheer, the wind grabbed the pom-poms out of his hands and lifted up his skirt.

"EEK!" he cried, desperately trying to hold his skirt down with his hands. While he did this, his pom-poms faded into a pink mist that smelled faintly of strawberries, and his feet adhered to the ground with magic.

Rainbow rolled her eyes at him, then turned her attention back to the tornado. Discord wailed about his skirt and dignity for a few more seconds, but once he realized no one was listening, he stopped and turned his attention to Fluttershy, eyes glowing as he looked at her through the strong winds.

She was panting heavily, beads of sweat forming on her forehead as her wings pumped up and down. His eyes widened with worry when he saw her wingbeats slow, and she needed to strain harder to push her wings. He fought the urge to fly in by her side and help her...and sighed in relief when he saw the water begin to rise from the lake.

In a matter of minutes, the water in the lake was funneled up through the tornado to Cloudsdale. Rainbow blew her whistle, and the pegasi inside began to slow to a halt and land on the shore...except for Fluttershy, who was still flying circles overhead, eyes closed and teeth grit.

Discord teleported in front of her. She collided with his chest, the air knocked out of her, and he wrapped his arms around her. She opened her eyes and looked around, a small blush forming on her face. "It's over already, isn't it?" He nodded, and she huddled in his arms, burying her face into his chest.

He chuckled and stroked her mane, floating down gently to the group. "You were wonderful, my dear," he said, kissing the top of her forehead. "Goodness, seeing your determination..." A paper fan appeared next to them, blowing a gentle breeze over both of them, and he offered her a bottle of water.

As he landed towards the back of the crowd, Rainbow was clapping her hooves. "Excellent work, everypony! No records set this year for speed, but we got the job done, and done well!" The pegasi cheered.

"Now, the Ponyville Day Spa is offering free wing massages today for everypony who volunteered, and Sugarcube Corner is giving a discount on desserts!" The crowd oohed and ahhed. "Yeah, it's pretty sweet. You just have to see me and get a hoofband as proof you were here."

The crowd rushed towards her, all clamoring for hoofbands. Fluttershy shifted in his hold, biting her lip. "Penny for your thoughts?" Discord said, flipping a copper coin in front of her muzzle.

She sighed. "Well, it's just...a massage does sound nice, but I don't need it. And if there's going to be so many ponies there..."

"You'd rather not go," he finished. She nodded, taking a drink of water. "Well, what if we got you your hoofband, went home to relax, and popped by Sugarcube Corner later once you're rested up?"

"That sounds nice," she said. He grinned and used his tail as a spring to bounce over to Rainbow Dash. His antics made the few pegasi left back up a bit—_Oh goody, no lines!_ he thought to himself—but Rainbow didn't react at all, aside from a chuckle and an eye roll.

Fluttershy handed her goggles back to Rainbow, who tied a blue paper wristband that read "Proud Weather Volunteer" on Fluttershy's hoof. "You take it easy, okay?" she said, placing a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. "Don't let Discord drag you off on some crazy adventure. Your wings need a break."

Discord huffed and placed a hand to his chest, a halo appearing above his head. "Why, Rainbow Dash, you wound me. I am nothing but the picture of a doting, loving husband, and I would _never_ fling us willy-nilly into chaos."

Rainbow laughed, while Fluttershy giggled and said, "Dear, just living with you ends up flinging our lives into chaos." He pouted, his halo shattering above his head. She leaned up, trailing her lips against his cheek, and whispered in his ear, "You aren't wrong about being a loving and doting husband, though..."

His face turned red, the tips of his horns opening to release steam with the shriek of a tea kettle. Rainbow laughed even harder, clutching her stomach with a hoof. Fluttershy giggled, a pink blush forming on her own face as she relaxed into Discord's arms.

He huffed. "Well, if you two are going to besmirch my good name, I shall just make my exit." He reached to the side and threw the air aside like a curtain, opening a portal to their living room with a neon exit sign hovering above it.

He glanced down at Fluttershy, who nodded and waved to Rainbow. "Goodbye! Thank you for the wristband!"

"No trouble, Flutters," Rainbow said. "Discord, are we still good for O&O with Spike this Wednesday?"

"Of course, Miss Shadow Streak," he said. "See you then!" With that, he stepped through the portal, letting the air shift back into place behind him.

As soon as he was inside and had placed Fluttershy in a nearby chair, he began ripping off parts of his costume and flinging them onto nearby coat hangers. He sighed and fell onto the couch, fanning himself. "I think I made that shirt too tight and thick," he panted. "Oh, how wonderful it feels for my fur to breathe again!"

She giggled. "Thank you for being my moral support. I saw some of your cheering before flying became difficult," she said. "I know it's fairly early in the morning, but would you like some tea?"

Discord nodded eagerly, already setting some plates of pastries on the table between them. Fluttershy smiled and got out of her chair, opening her wings...and then flinching, closing them, and walking into the kitchen.

It was only a small action, but it made Discord freeze and drop the plate of bagels he had made. After a few seconds of mulling over what he'd seen, he floated after her into the kitchen. There, she was just finishing setting the kettle on the stove and glancing up at the tea cabinet—which was high enough that she would need to fly up to reach it.

As he approached, her wings twitched against her back. Just as she was about to open them, he placed a paw gently on her back and opened the cabinet with his claw. "What tea would you like today, dearest?"

She jumped slightly, feathers ruffling. "Discord, don't scare me like that!"

"Oooh, we're out of that kind. Would mint be good?" he said, pulling out the small green box. She pouted at him, but nodded. He handed her one of the teabags, and she placed it in the kettle.

"Sorry for startling you like that, Fluttershy. But I couldn't help but notice something." She tilted her head. "You seem wary to use your wings. Do they feel sore?"

After a moment of pause, she nodded. "A little. I still don't want to go to the spa, with all the others, but...maybe a cup of tea will help." She smiled reassuringly, but that smiled wavered as his expression remained neutral, aside from him raising an eyebrow.

She sighed, shifting her wings. "Really, though, a few days of relaxing and some good nights of sleep is all I need to feel better."

"A few _days_!?" he squawked. "No. No. Unacceptable. I will not let you feel sore for days and not do anything about it."

He snapped his fingers, and a white bottle with blue-and-orange labeling appeared in his hand. "This is a sort of medicine, but it's...Oh, what's the word? Tropical? No, topical! It's supposed to numb muscle pain." He looked at her, eyes wide and pleading. "Can...can you use it, please?"

The tea kettle whistled, making her ears perk up. "Well...if you can put it on my wings while I get the tea..." He whooped and teleported above her, already squirting copious amounts of the white goo into his paw. He noted to himself that it was first cold, then hot, but not too much of either. His skin felt numbed underneath it.

As she lifted the kettle off of the stove, he started to rub the goo onto her wings. She shivered a bit from the cold, but held onto the kettle and turned around, walking back towards the living room. Discord twisted in the air and followed her, still adding the stuff to her wings.

She froze for a second and hissed. The cold feeling must have given way to the hot one. Discord also froze. She paused for a few seconds, her wings shifting, as though wondering what to make of this new sensation. She continued walking, and Discord let out a loud sigh of relief and followed.

She set the kettle on the table as Discord slipped some of the goo under her wings. She sat down, letting her wings fold comfortably against her back, and poured two cups of tea for them. Discord pulled away, shaking the medicine off of his hands and picking up his cup, taking a dainty sip with his pinky out. She smiled and took a sip of her own tea, relaxing in the armchair, though not leaning back.

* * *

As they sipped at their tea, Fluttershy seemed to relax more, even stretching her wings without flinching a few times. Upon him asking, she admitted that yes, the medicine had worked wonderfully in numbing her soreness.

"Although I'm sure my wings will still feel sore the next few days," she said, nibbling at the corner of some buttered toast. "They just need some time to heal."

He grunted, dipping a small plate into his tea before taking a bite out of it. "Why can't I just snap my fingers to heal you?" he grumbled, already holding his fingers in a snapping position.

"Discord, it's not that bad," she said. "All pegasi have to deal with sore wings every once in a while. There's no cure for it, except for time and massages...and this medicine, I suppose."

"Chaos magic could cure you," he mumbled into his cup. "Chaos magic could fix a lot of things."

Fluttershy sighed. "Discord, do you know a lot about pegasus wings?"

He nodded and began to eagerly list things off. "Of course I do! I know that you have to preen your feathers on occasion, just like you'd get a mane cut. I know that they can conduct magic for flight. I know that some parts of them are more sensitive than others, like the very edges..."

She held up a hoof to stop him, her face bright red. "I-I meant, do you know a lot about the _anatomy_ of pegasus wings?"

He hemmed and hahhed, gesturing in the air and miming the shape of her wings before he deflated like a balloon. "No," he mumbled. "And let me guess: I'm not supposed to just throw magic at what I don't understand?"

She nodded. "I know you don't like that I'm sore. But it's only going to be for a few days." She reached up and rubbed behind his ear. "I wish you wouldn't worry so much."

He leaned closer to her touch, sighing as his eyes slid closed and he reinflated. Though he felt a bit more relaxed, part of his mind was racing, trying to figure out how to help Fluttershy. The tiny Discord in his head ran on a hamster wheel, panting and reading papers that flew by.

He snagged one, then jumped off of the wheel, tumbling to the ground. "That's it!" he cried, waving his captured paper in the air.

Discord's eyes popped open as he reinflated himself. "You said massages are another cure for sore wings, correct?"

Fluttershy nodded. "Well, 'cure' might not be the right word, but it helps pegasi feel better faster. That's why the spa was offering free massages."

He tapped his fingers together. "And what if I suggested that you receive one of said massages from the creature who knows your wings best?" He beamed, batting long eyelashes at her as neon arrows pointed at his face.

She hummed, staring down at the table as she sipped her tea. She shifted her wings a little, ruffling her feathers and stretching them experimentally. Finally, she said, "That...that sounds nice. Can we finish our tea first?"

He nodded, resisting the urge to drink the entire kettle in one gulp. They continued to sip at their tea and eat snacks for the next half hour. Before Fluttershy could grab the empty kettle and plates, Discord had already thrown them and the table through the window with a great crash. He snapped his fingers and made new kettles and plates in the kitchen, and another table right in front of them.

Discord walked over to the broken window he had thrown the items out of, closed the curtains, and reopened them. The broken window was now replaced by an unbroken, sealed porthole. While Fluttershy marveled at his magic, he had gone back to her and began working his magic on a small couch nearby.

He grabbed the sofa and began to mold it like clay, squeezing and pulling it into odd proportions. He only stopped when he created a sunken, cushioned seat, with two cushioned platforms raised slightly above it. A quick tug flattened the back, and after circling the seat once, he deemed it satisfactory.

Fluttershy walked back over to him, and he patted the lower platform with his paw. She crawled onto it and laid down, tucking her legs underneath her. He set a pillow under her chin, while she fully spread her wings over the upper platforms.

"Comfortable?" he asked. She nodded, letting her head fall into the pillow. He floated over her and stood behind her, cracking his knuckles, colored sparks firing behind him with each crack.

He started by gently caressing the edges of her wings, making her shiver. She glared at him over her shoulder. "Discord..."

He grinned, chuckling. "What, not helping?" She kept glaring, and his grin fell. "Sorry. For real, this time."

This time, he started right in the center of her wings, digging into her muscles and kneading. "Tell me if I'm too rough," he said.

"You're good," she murmured, snuggling into her pillow.

He continued to knead her wings, ignoring the slightly-dried white goo that was getting on his fingers. The action and the white stuff reminded him of something...he chuckled as he remembered what.

"What is it?" Fluttershy asked, lifting her head up to look back at him.

"Oh," he said. "It's just that the color and texture of the medicine made me think of that time I tried making bread dough."

She froze, her wings stiffening. "I...don't want to think about that while you're massaging my wings," she said.

"What? Why not?" He froze, trying to remember what was so bad about kneading bread—oh. "Oh. Right. It exploded when I was kneading it," he said. She flinched and buried her face in the pillow, mumbling to herself to not think about it.

He continued the kneading motion, stroking the edges of her wings every so often before returning to his task. More and more of the medicine ended up flaking off as he continued, which made for a good indicator of where her wings still needed attention.

He lost track of time as he massaged her wings, even making sure to rub at their undersides. He looked over her wings, massaging at a few spots covered in medicine that he wasn't sure he had gotten or not.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her, running a wet, warm cloth along her wings to wipe up the dried medicine.

"Hmm?" she said, lifting her head off of the pillow. "Oh! That was...really nice. Thank you, Discord."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," he said, using a comb to brush her feathers back into place. "More importantly, are your wings feeling any better?"

She nodded, sitting up and stretching her wings out, flapping them experimentally. "They feel great," she said, hopping off of the sofa. It shuddered and reverted back to its original form with a loud _fwomp_.

She flew up and wrapped her forehooves around his neck, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "You're so sweet for thinking of me." She nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

He wrapped an arm around her, holding her up, and kissed her on the forehead. "All that matters is that you're feeling better," he whispered in her ear. "Now, why don't we pick something up from Sugarcube Corner? I hear they have some kind of new lemon dessert I've been dying to try!"

She nodded, leaning against his chest and looking up at him. He smiled down at her and snapped his fingers, and they both vanished in a flash of light.


	34. A New Dawn

**Author's Note: ****This takes place after The Last Problem, while most of the other drabbles take place between the timeskip.**

* * *

Luster Dawn, the prodigy of High Princess Twilight Sparkle, was at the library. She was working alone at a desk in a corner of the building, the early afternoon sun pouring in through a nearby window and illuminating the notes she had in front of her. No other creatures were in the library, for most decided to spent time outside and enjoy the warm, cloudless weather.

Not Luster Dawn, though. For she was in Ponyville to learn about friendship, and she never started a project such as this without the proper research! Which was why she had surrounded herself with books such as the Journal of Friendship, and old newspapers describing the adventures of the current Council of Friendship.

None of that was helping her figure out the question she had, though. With a sigh, she grabbed the glass of water beside her with her magic and took a sip from it.

"Buy me dinner first," the cup said with a huff. Luster Dawn's eyes widened.

The cup was furry and brown, with a grey rim. Two yellow-and-red eyes were glaring at her. With a scream, she threw it across the room, grabbing a heavy textbook from beside her and holding it up to shield herself.

The cup grunted as it hit the wall, rolling back into a standing position and shaking itself. "Goodness, what a throw," he said. "That almost hurt as much as the time Rainbow threw me."

"What are you!?" she yelled. _And how do you know one of the princesses?_

A flash of light covered the cup, and in its place stood a tall, mismatched being. He grinned. "'Who' would be a much better word, but I'll take any chance to introduce myself!" He bent low at the waist. "I am Discord, Lord of Chaos, Spirit of Disharmony, and Prince of Kindness. A pleasure to meet you, Luster Dawn."

She shifted further back in her seat. "H-how do you know my name?"

"Oh, don't you remember? I'm on the Council of Friendship! Twilight's told us all about you!" He flipped through one of the yearbooks of the School for Gifted Unicorns, showing her the pages she was on. "You _do_ remember me, right?"

Now that she had a chance to think clearly, she did. Discord was listed as a member of the Council of Friendship in all the reports she read, and she remembered seeing him a few times before High Princess Twilight sent her to Ponyville to learn about the magic of friendship. "Yes, I...I remember you." He beamed at this. "But why are you here? Don't you have more important things to do than talk with me?"

He floated closer to her, and she slowly put her book down. "Oh, I'm not doing anything at the moment. See, the thing is...I need help with something," he said, popping his back, making a sound like a squeaky dog toy. "And since you're Twilight Version 5.5, I figured you'd be all about _helping a friend in need._"

She sighed, glancing down at her papers. "First of all, I'm too busy to help anyone right now. And the expression is 'Version 2.0'."

"No, there's been a Twilight 2.0," he said, flipping through a small pink book. "And a 3.0. And a 4.0. And then there was another Twilight, but it was literally just another version of her, so I guess that's a 4.5. Then you came along!" Cheers from an invisible crowd erupted around them, confetti showering down on Luster Dawn.

With a quick burst of magic, she covered her work with a dome so that the confetti wouldn't get on it. "That's nice," she said. "But I'm still too busy. Researching friendship has been taking up all of my time."

He floated into her line of vision, holding the book a little closer to her. "Even Sparklepants takes breaks from her research, 4.5. C'mon, live a little and have an adventure with me!"

She shook her head, jotting a fact down in her notes. "I do take breaks," she said, pointing to a pile of fictional books at a different table, with a glass of water and a single cupcake beside it. "But I'm not going to take one until I figure out what made friendship so appealing to all of High Princess Twilight's adversaries."

Discord stared at her break corner. "...That is a sad, sad type of break," he sighed, shaking his head and lowering the book he was holding over her notes. "And if _only_ there was something that could explain one villain's thoughts as they experienced friendship!"

Luster Dawn glared up at him. "Look, insulting my habits won't make me want to help you! And it'd be nice if something like that existed, but I haven't found it yet in this library! So why don't you just—!"

He smacked her in the head with the spine of his book. "What was that—!" He smacked her again, tapping at the cover of the book. She used her magic to wrench it out of his grip, glaring down at the cover. "Letters Between Fluttershy and Discord?" she read. After a few seconds, her eyes widened. "Wait...!"

She turned to face him. "You're a reformed villain!" She began pulling out new quills and notepads, smiling brightly. "You can tell me everything! How did you react when you were offered friendship? How do you think your experience was different from others'? On a scale of Trixie to Grogar, how evil of a villain were you?"

He pulled the small book out of her grip and waved it at her. "Most of your questions will be answered by this little book," he said, a smug grin on his face. She reached forward to grab it, but he held it up above his head, wagging a finger at her. "But! I'm not the type to just give things away for free. _Quid pro quo._"

She sighed, looking down at her stacks of textbooks and notes. None of it had been able to solve her problem, and now there was a chance to get what could be the final puzzle piece. "What do you need help with?" she said with a heavy sigh.

His eyes glinted. "I thought you'd never ask." He snapped his fingers, and a puppet stage appeared in front of them. The curtains opened to reveal a backdrop that resembled Sweet Feathers Animal Sanctuary, with a wooden puppet of Princess Fluttershy dancing with small cardboard cutouts of animals.

"You see," Discord narrated. "I want to visit my sweet Fluttershy, to lighten up her day while she's at work." A sock puppet of Discord walked on stage. "And I want to give her a gift, but...!" The sock puppet dug through its pockets but came back empty-handed. It shrugged hopelessly at the Fluttershy puppet, who shook her head, but still walked forward to lean against him.

"I do have an idea of what to get her," Discord continued. A cardboard thought bubble dropped from above, covered with drawings of...bugs. Luster Dawn shuddered. "She likes all creatures, especially tiny ones. But whenever I try to make one, something goes wrong." A giant tarantula plush dropped from above, causing the Fluttershy puppet to 'faint'.

"So," said Luster Dawn. "You want me to get you a...bug."

"Not just _a_ bug!" Discord said. "An amazing bug, worthy of Fluttershy. And you don't have to do it alone...I just need another pair of hooves to help out so I can find something faster."

"Does it have to be a bug, though?" she asked.

"Well, do I give you the full book, or just a few pages?" he said in response, waving the letters collection at her.

She groaned quietly. "...Fine, I'll help you catch a bug."

Discord smiled widely and snapped his fingers.

* * *

The two of them appeared in a field of tall grass, each carrying a net over their shoulder and wearing a large, floppy hat on their head. "Let's find some bugs!" Discord cheered, swishing his net through the grass in front of him.

Luster Dawn lifted the net with her magic and began to walk through the grass, looking around for any sort of insect. The sun felt hot after a day spent studying, and she was very glad for the hat that shielded her eyes. Already, she wished was back at the cool library, with a book and glass of water always on hoof.

Thinking of the library made her think of all the reading she could be doing, or the interviews she could be conducting. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she yelped and reared back when a grasshopper landed on her muzzle.

At her swift movement, it immediately hopped away into the tall grass. She watched it go, panting, and wiping quickly at her muzzle. "You need to be faster than the bugs, partner!" Discord said, offering her a hand to help her off of the ground. "It's fine, though. That was only a common grasshopper, and certainly not worthy of Fluttershy."

She accepted his help and dusted herself off once she was back on her hooves. "Thank you," she said. He nodded, and after a few more seconds of pushing through the grasses, she spoke up again. "Sir? Can I ask you a few questions about friendship?"

He chuckled. "No need to call me 'sir'. And if you can search and talk at the same time, fire away. But if I see you note-taking instead of bug-hunting, I'll eat your quill."

She gulped, canceling the spell she had been preparing to summon a notepad. "Okay. First of all, are bugs a normal gift to give to friends?"

He shrugged. "I don't know much about normal...but I don't think so. Most ponies aren't big fans of bugs. But as I said before, my Fluttershy loves all creatures, and I like to spice things up by giving her something that isn't another little furball."

Luster Dawn nodded. _Don't consider bugs normal. Got it._ "Do friends use terms of endearment like you do?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking at some ants with a magnifying glass.

"Well, you keep calling her 'your' Fluttershy. Is that something that friends do?"

"Uuuuuuh," he said, looking up at her and dropping the magnifying glass away from the ants. "That's more of a romance thing. You do know I'm actually _married_ to her, right?"

Her eyes widened, and she spluttered. "M-married? None of the reports I read mentioned you two were married!"

"Oh, if you were just looking into the Council of Friendship reports, it wouldn't have been there. You would have had to look at newspapers from this date." He wrote on a Post-it note, showed it to her for a second, and dropped it into a small portal that showed her research desk on the other side. "Seriously, though, why did you think I had the title 'Prince of Kindness'? I didn't exactly earn it alone."

She swallowed. "So...why would your book help me? I'm trying to learn about friendship, not romance!" She dropped her net and started to walk to the edge of the field.

Discord appeared in front of her, holding up a stop sign and blowing a whistle. "Time out!" he yelled. "What made you think the book of letters won't help you learn about friendship?"

She tilted her head. "Well...you're married to each other." Discord tilted his head. "Doesn't that mean those letters are going to be about romantic feelings, instead of platonic?"

His mouth twisted into a curvy line, his eyes scrunching up. She was worried she had upset him for a second...and then he burst out laughing, sinking down to the ground as he howled with laughter.

"Ahahahaha! You think that I...you think we...hahaha!" he laughed. After a few minutes of this, he finally stopped and got back onto his feet, swiping a tear out of the corner of his eye.

"Heh. You know that we didn't have romantic feelings when we first started writing these letters, right?" he said, holding up the book. "We started officially dating loooong after Twilight first became a princess...just before her coronation as High Princess, actually. We were writing letters to each other before she even got her wings, and stopped a little while after we started dating."

"Oh," she said, rubbing at the back of her head. "So...it's all platonic?"

"Well, sort of," he said. "Even if we weren't dating, there was a point where we started to have romantic feelings for each other, and that might have seeped through."

She groaned, rubbing a hoof against her forehead. "So you were friends the whole time you wrote those, but there's still romance? That doesn't make sense!"

He smiled. "Want some extra confusion?" She shook her head, but he continued anyway. "I still consider her my best friend, even though we're married."

Luster Dawn sat down, holding her hooves in front of her as though she could put the pieces of this puzzle together. Discord ran around her, yelling at the dragonfly he was trying to catch. "It doesn't make any sense," she said. "You started as friends, then got married...but you're still friends? How does that work?"

He huffed as the dragonfly escaped him, and began digging in the ground, revealing beetles and worms. "Well, I'm not much of an expert...but the way I see it, once you're friends, you're friends forever." A butterfly landed on his muzzle, which he paused to stare at before continuing, "Unless one hurts the other, or changes too much of themselves...there'll always be something to keep you together."

Luster swung her net at the butterfly as it flew off, but just barely missed it. "But wouldn't your relationship becoming romantic replace your friendship?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Of course not. My relationship with dear Fluttershy is irreplaceable, both as my wife and my friend. I'd do anything for her: that's as a friend and as a husband."

Luster sighed. He leaned over and patted her head, smearing mud into her mane. "It's not something you need to understand. The connection between Fluttershy and I has always been very...unique." He grabbed his net and resumed his search, while she used her magic to expel the grime off of her.

Luster followed him, carrying the net over her shoulder. After a few minutes of walking and searching the grass, during which he made a few jokes to make her laugh, Luster saw a beetle with a sparkling green chassis. "Would this work?" she asked.

He gasped. "An iridescent emerald beetle! Yes, that is a bug worthy of my dear Fluttershy!" He held up his net...and saw there was a large tear in it. The beetle opened its wings and flew away with a loud buzz.

"Quick! Catch it, before it gets away!" Discord shouted. Luster nodded and ran after it, swinging her net blindly back and forth. After a long chase, she finally managed to catch the beetle inside the net, smacking it to the ground. The beetle buzzed angrily at her, struggling in the net.

Discord teleported next to her, holding a rectangular plastic container. "Here, put it in this!" After a few seconds of shuffling, they managed to get it inside the container and seal it shut. The beetle tapped at the side of the glass, and Luster could swear it was glaring at both of them.

"It's perfect," Discord said. "Now, off to see Fluttershy!"

"Wait, what about my—" he snapped his fingers before she could finish.

* * *

"—book?" she finished as they appeared in Sweet Feathers Animal Sanctuary in a flash of bright light. Just a few feet ahead was Fluttershy, who was watering a patch of flowers, humming a soft song. Discord grinned and silently floated up to her.

He suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her. "Miss me?" he asked, a wide grin on his face. Fluttershy yelped and dropped her watering can.

"Discord!" she cried. "Don't startle me like that!"

He chuckled. "Sorry, my dear. I'm just so happy to see you, I can't contain it!" He kissed her cheek, and her expression softened into a smile. She laid her head into the crook of his neck, nuzzling him. He blushed, and with a cough, said, "I brought you something."

He pulled the container with the beetle out from behind his back. Fluttershy gasped and gently took it in her hooves. "An iridescent emerald beetle!" She nuzzled his neck again. "Thank you so much, sweetie."

He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well, I didn't catch it alone." He pointed to Luster Dawn, who waved nervously at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy smiled. "Thank you, Luster Dawn." She looked up at Discord. "I hate to be a bother, but...one of the volunteers dropped a textbook in the pond again. Could you go fish it out, please?"

He saluted, suddenly wearing a snorkel, goggles, and a pair of swimming fins. "No problem, captain," he said. He glanced at Luster Dawn and tossed something in her direction, which she quickly caught with her magic. It was the book of letters. "The book, as promised. Thanks again for your help!" With that, he ran over to the pond and dived in with a large splash.

Fluttershy giggled and approached Luster Dawn. "Do you want to help me find a home for this little one?"

Luster Dawn looked up from her book. "What? Oh! Yeah, alright. If it doesn't take too long."

Fluttershy began to guide her through the sanctuary. "How have you been? I haven't seen you since Twilight sent you here."

"Oh, I've been fine. My research into friendship has hit a few snags, but the library here is very extensive." She held up the small book. "And now, I have a new primary source to work with!"

Fluttershy's smiled faltered. "Have you only been using books to learn about friendship?"

"Well, no," Luster said. "I've also used some newspapers and Council of Friendship reports, not to mention observing friendship in action in Ponyville."

Fluttershy sighed. "That's not..." After a few seconds of silence, she asked, "How many friends have you made here, Luster?"

Luster thought. "Um...a few? On my first day here. But then when I thought about it, I realized that I didn't have enough information about friendship, and I know from experience that the best way to start a project is with thorough research into the subject matter!"

Fluttershy sighed. "Luster, I'm sure Twilight didn't want you to think of this as a project. She wants you to relax and make friends. There's so much to learn about friendship, and the only way to learn all of it is to spend time with your friends. Not through books and research."

Luster tilted her head. "But without research, how am I supposed to know where to start?"

"A conversation is a good way. Find out what you have in common," Fluttershy said. "And I know from experience that knowledge isn't going to improve your confidence in anything as much actually doing something will."

"The best way to make friends is to go out and talk with creatures. Spend time with them." She smiled, shaking her head. "I'm sure that's the real reason Discord decided to drag you any from your research."

"What makes you say that?" Luster asked.

Fluttershy rounded the corner, showing her a tree covered in soft, spongy moss. It was covered in beetles...including several more iridescent emerald beetles.

Fluttershy carefully guided the beetle out of the container onto the tree. Luster stared silently, her eyes slowly narrowing into a glare. "So Discord dragged me away from my work to catch a bug...for no good reason!?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "He had his reasons. I'm sure he just wanted you to realize that that friendship isn't just about research. Besides, he did give you a book to help you."

Luster scowled, glaring at the book. "It would have just been easier for him to tell me all of this!"

"Discord has always had a...unique way of helping creatures," Fluttershy said, smiling. "But I'm sure he meant well."

Luster sighed. "Thank you for telling me this. I think I'll go back to the library now."

Fluttershy nodded and led her to the edge of the sanctuary. "Sometimes, students from the School of Friendship volunteer here," she said. "It's a great way to meet new creatures if you give it a chance."

Luster looked around. The sanctuary was just as peaceful as it had been one the day she'd first come to Ponyville, with all sorts of animals scurrying around, jumping through the portals that would pop into existence. But looking closer, there were signs that groups of ponies and other creatures had been there—a trail of hoofprints and clawprints here, a forgotten notebook there. "I'll...I'll think about it," she said, making Fluttershy smile.

She turned to leave as Discord crawled out of the pond with a book in his mouth, shaking himself off like a dog. As she continued towards Ponyville, she skimmed through the first few letters, mentally noting important parts for when she got back to the library.

"Luster! Luster Dawn!" someone called. She lifted her nose out of the book, looking around. At a nearby cafe, a tan-coated Kirin with a bluish mane and red horn was waving at her. Next to her were a dark-feather griffon wearing a red scarf, a yak with a strawberry blonde mane tied in braids, and a pale yellow earth pony stallion—the creatures she had met when she first came to Ponyville.

She slowly approached them, noticing they all had large shakes in front of them. "H-hi, everycreature," she said. "W-what's up?"

The Kirin—_Summer Wood,_ Luster remembered—smiled. "Oh, just a quick snack break, before we get back to doing some homework together," she said. "What about you? Homework must have been keeping you pretty busy—I haven't seen you since your first day!"

Luster flinched, scuffing at the ground with a hoof. "Well...sort of. I've also been doing some research on the side," she said, not quite looking any of them in the eye.

The stallion patted the empty seat next to him. "Well...do you want to join us? The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and these shakes are delicious!"

Luster glanced in the direction of the library, then at the table of smiling friends. With a quiet sigh, she slowly approached and sat down, setting her new book down at her side. As she was dragged into a conversation the others had been having about homework and study groups, she felt her smile becoming more relaxed and genuine and found herself conversing without evening thinking about the research into conversation topics she had conducted. She started laughing and speaking more and more easily.

None of the group noticed the dranconequus watching them, perched in a nearby tree branch.

Discord lifted up his sunglasses, leaning forward to get a closer look at what was going on. Luster Dawn was spending time outdoors, on her own...without using her research as a crutch. He nodded to himself and pulled a handheld mirror out of thin air.

"Mission accomplished, Your Majesty," he said with a salute. "Luster Dawn is socializing with friends." He turned the mirror towards the small group.

The image of Twilight that the mirror showed sighed, and her shoulders and wings relaxed. "Thank you, Discord," she said. "I didn't want to step in and make her feel forced to do anything, but I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. And you're the perfect creature to annoy others enough into doing things on their own."

Discord chuckled. "Careful, princess. That was almost a compliment." He glanced back at the laughing group of friends. "Hopefully they can take it from here. I doubt Luster will go along with another one of my impromptu lessons."

Twilight chuckled. "Probably not. Thank you again for your help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare some paperwork for the next Council meeting."

Discord gagged. "Ugh, work. Well, I'm going to go do something _fun_. Later, book princess." He snapped his fingers, transforming the mirror into a large purple-and-pink lollipop. He tossed it into his mouth and teleported to the sanctuary with a flash of light.

Fluttershy stood up as soon as she saw him. "Did it work?" she asked.

He nodded, chomping at his lollipop. "Like a charm," he said. "Though it was probably thanks to you telling her she needed to get her head out of the books and get a life."

"Well, I didn't say it quite like _that_," she said.

"Which is exactly why you were the pony to say it!" he said, clapping his hands. "I would have mucked it up. I did not, however, mess up the timing of her running into that study group's shake break!" He frowned. "I hated having to learn their—ugh—schedule." His entire body shivered.

Fluttershy smiled and flew up to him. "Well, it's done now. Do you want to have some shakes of our own to celebrate?"

He snapped his fingers, creating a giant chocolate shake with two curly straws. "I would love nothing more," he said, placing the shake on a large toadstool between them.

As they started on their shake, Discord's left eye became foggy as he cast one last glance at Luster Dawn. She was walking to the library...with the rest of her friends, who she was still happily chatting with.

He smiled and blinked the image away, turning his attention back to Fluttershy and their milkshake.


	35. Baby Bunnies

Discord took a large sip out of his mug of piping hot black licorice, shuffling the copy of _Equestria Daily_ he held upside-down in his hands. He leaned back in his floating armchair, setting his mug on a nearby floating book in such a way that a passerby could see it had _#1 Chaos Being!_ printed on it.

He glanced up at the melting clock on the ceiling, growling to himself and thrashing his tail when he saw that only a minute had passed since he last checked it. He glared down at the paper in his hands, as though it was its fault that his darling wife hadn't come home yet.

Sighing, he tossed it off to the side and pulled out a blank piece of paper, which he began to doodle on with glitter pens. Arrows and spirals formed, which only he could interpret as being an approximate guide to Chaosville's current state—more specifically, a guide to areas he wanted to show off to Fluttershy.

He quickly finished the guide (since he had already memorized it) and started to tap his feet on the ground. He took another sip of black licorice, the mug's words changing to _#1 Husband!_, and glanced up at the clock. Only another two minutes had passed.

With a groan, he flung himself onto a nearby couch, posing with a hand on his chest and forehead to signal to the world how _utterly horrible_ the world was to him. "What's taking her so long?" he said. "I swear, if one of those little fuzzballs is causing trouble for her, I'll—"

Suddenly, the front door burst open, and Fluttershy flew in. Discord was startled enough that he yelped and tumbled to the ground, missing the portal on the ground by just a few inches.

"Discord!" she cried. "Come quick, to the sanctuary! We need a camera, and towels, and carrot extract, and, and..."

Discord lifted himself off of the ground and flew over to her, placing a paw over her mouth. "Fluttershy, it's fine," he said. And he knew it was—if it was an emergency, she would have been dragging him to the site by his arm as soon as he was close enough. "Take a deep breath, and tell me what's going on."

She inhaled deeply, and he pulled his hand off of her muzzle. "Dawn just gave birth! To eight kits!" she said. "We need a camera to take pictures, and towels for the kits, and carrot extract for Dawn!"

"Got it!" Discord said, snapping his fingers and creating everything she had listed. "Let's go!"

Another snap of his fingers, and they were teleported to a warren in a quiet corner of the sanctuary. A large group of bunnies was gathered in a circle around one particular den, noses twitching, but most of them stayed a good distance away, and stepped aside as Fluttershy and Discord walked past.

Just at the entrance of the den were eight bunnies. The smallest one, with white, fluffy fur, squeaked as they approached, alerting the others. She hopped forward and nuzzled her head against Fluttershy's hoof. Five other bunnies leapt forward and nuzzled against her, an affection she returned.

Discord turned away and made a quiet gagging sound, sticking out his tongue.

One of the bunnies who hadn't run over to Fluttershy was glaring at him. He glared back. Seraphim had gained most of his father's personality—including his dislike for Discord, and tendency to cause trouble for his wife. _At least the rest of them took after him after his mellowing out_, he thought, baring his fangs.

Seraphim was unfazed, but the other rabbit shivered and cowered away. This rabbit had pure black fur, and if he remembered right, was Dawn's mate, and a fairly new addition to the sanctuary. Discord stopped his scowling and glanced back over at Fluttershy, who was trying to keep the carrot extract out of reach of the pudgiest of the bunnies.

"No, Carrots," she said sternly. "This is for Dawn. I'm sure she's very tired, and she needs this extract to get her energy back." The rabbit huffed and crossed her arms, but stopped reaching for the bottle.

"Okay, everyone. I'm going to check in on Dawn and her kits." She glanced over at Discord. "Can you help me? I might need an extra pair of hands."

Dawn's mate waved his arms in protest at that, blocking the den as much as he could with his stubby arms. "Midnight, Discord isn't going to hurt her or your kits. He's very helpful, and you can trust him." The rabbit glanced between her and Discord, but was gently nudged away by another of Angel's children—the largest of them.

He nodded to Fluttershy, who sighed in relief. "Thank you, Guardian," she said. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here to keep the peace." A tiny smile appeared on Guardian's muzzle, and he focused his attention on calming Midnight.

Discord shrank down and climbed onto Fluttershy's shoulder. She nuzzled the top of his head, then walked towards the den, bending down and climbing in once she was close enough.

A tired white bunny lifted her head, smiling softly at Fluttershy. She leaned forward to nuzzle her favorite pony's muzzle, before carefully shifting to show both of them what was nestled against her belly.

Eight little pink blobs were sucking on her belly, a few whining when she shifted. Discord wrinkled his nose when he saw there were still a few beads of blood on the hairless little things.

"Oh, they're so precious," Fluttershy whispered to Dawn, reaching back behind her and bringing the carrot extract forward. She placed a few drops of it on Dawn's tongue, who smiled gratefully. Discord flashed the camera into his arms and began to take pictures.

Fluttershy brought out the towel and began to gently wipe the pink blobs dry. Discord kept snapping pictures, holding onto her mane to keep himself steady as she worked, and snapping the towels clean when she was done with them. Once the kits were clean, she gave Dawn another few drops of carrot extract.

"Okay," she said. "Do you feel ready to let the others see your kits yet?"

Dawn squeaked something at her, and Fluttershy nodded. She backed out of the den and looked at the group of bunnies waiting anxiously outside. "She says she feels tired, but she wants Midnight and Dusk to come in."

Midnight bolted past her into the den, chattering quickly. A white bunny who resembled Dawn exactly, aside from the fact he was male and had a few grey spots on his back, hopped forward more calmly, nodding a thanks to Fluttershy before he entered.

A white-and-brown bunny hopped up to Fluttershy and began making hand gestures. Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't know, Coco. Dawn is very tired, and she might not want to see visitors for a while." The bunny's ears drooped.

Another white bunny hopped up and made a small hand gesture, stretching her tiny arms out in front of her. Fluttershy smiled. "Well...Discord, do you remember how we helped Duchess after she had kits?"

He flashed back to his normal size and snorted. "I was busy trying to keep Demon Bunny from tearing up the whole sanctuary from nervousness. You're the one who helped Duchess."

She hovered up and whispered in his ear, "Please, Discord. Maybe this will help make Seraphim less angry with you."

Discord blinked, and glanced over at the gray bunny whose glare was awfully familiar. "But...I remember that with our help, Angel brought her some of her favorite flowers to make her feel better." Fluttershy nodded.

"So Vanilla, I think the best way to help Dawn is to bring her something to eat once she feels like having visitors," she said. The white bunny beamed and began to hop away, with all of her siblings but Seraphim following close behind.

The gray bunny glowered at Discord for a few more seconds, before huffing and hopping away in the opposite direction of his siblings. Fluttershy sighed. "I worry about him sometimes, Discord," she said. "All of his other siblings took after Angel after he saw how important the sanctuary was to me. But Seraphim..."

"Is like a nastier Angel," Discord said. "Including his hatred for me." He looked at the other bunnies near a patch of flowers. Guardian was holding a batch of flowers that Vanilla was carefully picking and adding to, Coco and Cherub were struggling together to dig up a very large flower, and Carrots was nibbling on a rose bush, holding a small flower in her paw. "The others at least seem pretty neutral about me."

"Cherub likes you," she said. "Remember when she could fit in your paw, and she would nibble on your fingers?"

A smile flickered on his face. "Cherub likes _everyone_, Fluttershy," he said. "But Seraphim seems to hold a special dislike for me."

Her smile wavered, and she looked down at the ground. "Hey," he said, placing a hand on top of her head. "It's not your fault. I probably did something to mess with him that I've forgotten about, and he's just holding a grudge." He scratched behind her ear, making her coo softly. "Besides, you had some great-grandkids now. Isn't that worth celebrating?"

She giggled, a smile coming back to her face. "Yes, I suppose so," she said. After a few seconds of silence, she said quietly, "I-I think we should visit Angel today."

His mouth twitched. "Are...are you sure?" She nodded, and with a quiet sigh, he scooped her into his arms and flapped his wings, hovering to a particular corner of the rabbit warren.

* * *

A good distance away from the dens, just at the edge of a field of flowers, Discord stopped and landed on the ground, setting Fluttershy down gently. She took a deep breath and glanced up at him. He placed a hand between her shoulders and snapped his fingers, creating a small bouquet of white carrot flowers.

With another deep breath, Fluttershy took the bouquet and began walking down the path between the flowers. Discord walked behind her, watching her carefully as he wrung his hands together.

She stopped in the middle of the field, right in front of two polished gray stones. One read _Duchess_, and the other read _Angel_.

She sat down in front of Angel's stone, setting the bouquet down carefully, tracing the five engraved letters with her hoof. "G-good morning, Angel," she said. "I know it's been a while. Dawn just gave birth today, to eight healthy kits." She smiled. "You're a grandpa now."

Discord silently sat down beside her. Fluttershy sniffed, blinking quickly. "I wish you could see them, Angel," she said. "You didn't...I wish you could have seen more of your own kits growing up." She wiped at her eyes. "It...it wasn't long enough. I should have worked harder, done more to help you—"

Discord quickly wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to his side. "Shhhh," he said. "Don't think like that. How long did Angel live, when you raised him from a kit?"

She sniffled. "F-fifteen years."

"And how long did you say most rabbits live?" he said, stroking her mane.

"E-eight to twelve years," she mumbled, burying her face in his fur.

"He lived longer than most rabbits," he continued. "He had a mate, and he was there to see the first few years of his kits' life...and he had you as a mother." He kissed the top of her head. "I think his life was as full and happy as it was long."

He summoned a silk handkerchief and wiped her face. She sniffled, but had stopped crying. "I-I know," she said. "I just...wish he could be here."

"Well...you're here for him, aren't you?" he said. "And I'm sure he'd want you to be happy today."

She sniffled and nodded, forcing a smile on her face and snuggling into his fur. "Thank you, Discord. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome." He placed his forehead against hers. "Do you...want some time alone with the furball?"

She paused, then nodded slowly. "I'd like that," she said, placing a hoof on his paw. "I-I won't cry anymore, I promise."

"Good," he murmured, kissing the corner of her eye. She closed it and giggled. He stroked her mane, smoothing it back into place, before slowly standing up.

"I'll make sure the junior furballs don't tear up all the flower beds," he said. He snapped his fingers, making a glass bottle full of carrot extract. "Before I leave, do you mind if I share this with him?"

She shook her head. He poured some extract into two shot glasses, handing one to Fluttershy. "I have to admit...it's not the same without you, Demon Bunny," he said. "I can still feel where you bit me on the nose."

He sighed and overturned the bottle, pouring the extract on the grave. He quickly drank his own extract, while Fluttershy sipped at hers. "See you later, hairball," he said, placing the empty shot glass down, running his fingers through Fluttershy's mane one last time before teleporting away.

* * *

He had hidden at the edge of the flower field for a minute or two, invisible, watching Fluttershy carefully. Once he saw that she was talking calmly, almost happily, to Angel, he teleported back to the warren, summoning a pair of binoculars to scan for rabbits.

He quickly caught Carrots before she sank her teeth into the rainbow tulips he had made to spice up the flower patch, and placed a salad topped with carrots and cherries in front of her. She carefully set her small flower down and began to eat.

He began snapping his fingers in a rhythm, creating new flowers where the young rabbits had dug them up. As an afterthought, he made a rosebush towards the center where each bloom was a different color, and began to file away at the prickles to dull them.

A thumping to his right made his ears perk up. He glanced over at the gray bunny who was glaring up at him, smacking one of his back paws on the ground. "Hello there, Thumper. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Seraphim chattered something at him. Discord cleaned his ears out with a toothbrush and shrugged. "Sorry, couldn't catch that. I don't speak fuzzball, and unfortunately, my translator is busy at the moment. So if this can wait..."

Seraphim shook his head and chattered faster, more angrily, pointing at his ears, then at Discord. Discord rolled his eyes and reached into his ear, twisting a few dials inside. He pulled his hand out and flapped his ears a few times before saying, "Now, care to repeat what you said?"

Seraphim glared at him. "_What did you just do?_"

"Oh, I just adjusted my language knowledge to include rabbits," Discord said, filing his claws.

"_Why don't you include it all the time, Wormhorse!?_" Seraphim said with a glare.

"Well, it's never completely off. I can pick up a few words, especially when you're insulting me," he said with a wide grin, showing off a few extra fangs. "And leaving it on all the time gives me a headache. I don't know how my Fluttershy can stand hearing everything chatter all day."

He placed an ice pack on his forehead as two rabbits ran by, chatting merrily about the flower bed. "Ugh, just tell me what you want so I can adjust it back," he grumbled.

Seraphim glared at him. "_Why did you visit Father's grave? You hate him, and he hates you!_"

Discord bit his tongue before he could say something about how it was hard for Angel to hate anything in his situation, and kept biting until he could think of a good answer, his lips puckering. "I don't hate the fuzzb—Angel," he said. "Oh, we argued, we fueded...he bit me pretty badly on the nose once...but we eventually got along. Even if it was because we realized we both cared about Fluttershy."

"He had his time with Fluttershy, and I had mine. We shared a few bottles of carrot extract together after a long day at the sanctuary. I was there when all eight of you junior puffba—young bunnies were born." He held up his arm, and a sheet of photographs draped down like a cloak, revealing pictures of eight pink, hairless kits nursing off of a grey-and-brown rabbit. In one picture in the corner, Discord was taking a selfie while giving a peace sign, as Fluttershy rolled her eyes with a smile in the background, tending to the newborns.

Seraphim's glare hardened. "_Why do you insult him, then? I've heard you call him Demon and fuzzball!_"

Discord chuckled. "Old habits die hard. And before we got along, he really was a tiny demon!" He pulled his nose off of his face and held it out to Seraphim, pointing at a certain spot. "He bit me right there, once! When I was just minding my own business, cuddling Fluttershy! He bit me and drew blood!"

Seraphim cringed, pushing away his nose. Discord slapped it back onto his face, and the bunny sighed in relief. Cracks started appearing on the top of Discord's head, and he cringed and slapped another ice pack of top of them. "Get to the point quickly, please. I can already feel the headache," he moaned.

"_You don't hate my father_," Seraphim said, staring up at him. After a few seconds, he sighed. "_I don't have anything else to say._"

"Thank chaos," Discord said, reaching into his ear again and quickly turning the dial. He sighed in relief, dropped the ice packs, and began putting strips of masking tape over the cracks on his head. Seraphim scoffed and hopped away.

"Discord?" Fluttershy said from behind him, making his ears perk up. "Are you okay?"

He turned to face her, grinning. "Oh yes, I'm perfectly fine! Why do you ask?" She pointed at where he had clumsily taped over the cracks. "Oh. That. Just a minor headache. Nothing to worry about!"

She frowned slightly, then flew up to lightly kiss the center of the cracks. He sighed, hearts forming in his eyes as he slumped to the ground. Only Fluttershy's hooves under his head kept him from banging his chin against the ground.

She sighed and shook her head, gently landing on the ground and letting go of Discord's head. He floated a few inches above the ground, smirking at her, and snapped his fingers. The cracks and masking tape both disappeared. She shook her head at him. "Did you really have a headache?"

"A small one," he said. "And it went away quickly. Like I said, nothing to worry about." He floated closer to her. "I wouldn't mind another kiss, though. Just to be sure it's fine."

She laughed and kissed him in the same spot. "What were you doing that gave you a headache?" she asked, running a hoof through his mane.

"Talking with Seraphim. It went surprisingly well. He just asked me a few questions and left," he said, laying down on the ground, leaning his head against Fluttershy's chest. "Did you have enough time with Angel?"

She nodded, sitting down and wrapping her hooves around his neck. "Y-yeah. Thank you for letting me have some time alone with him."

"It's really no problem," he said. "He's _your_ bunny. You should have time alone if you want it."

The sound of hopping paws made them look up. Angel's children were hopping up to the den were Dawn was resting. Vanilla and Guardian both carried large bunches of flowers, Coco and Cherub were working together to carry several flowers larger than both of them, and Carrots followed behind with a few small but delicious-looking flowers.

"They're all so sweet," Fluttershy said, smiling. Then, her eye caught on something further back. "Is that...?"

Discord glanced in the direction she was looking...and his jaw detached from his face, falling to the ground. Seraphim, with a scowl on his face, was hopping along behind his siblings, carrying a large bouquet of various flowers.

"Those are all of Dawn's favorites," Fluttershy said as he fished around for his jaw. "Except for that tulip..."

Discord popped his jaw back into place, just as Seraphim paused a few feet away from them. He stared at Discord for a few seconds before tossing the tulip towards him. It landed on the ground a few feet away, and Seraphim continued on his way to Dawn's den.

Narrowing his eyes, Discord carefully grabbed the tulip with his claw and twisted it around, holding it away from his body. He recognized it as one of his creations now: a tulip with petals that were yellow on the outside, but all colors of the rainbow on the inside, constantly swirling and shifting.

"A peace offering?" he said, bringing it closer and showing it to Fluttershy.

"I guess so," she remarked. "Whatever his questions were...maybe your answer made him change his mind about you."

"Hmm," Discord said, twirling the tulip between his fingers a few more times before sticking it behind Fluttershy's ear. "Maybe. Now, if only that meant he would stop causing trouble for you..."

They watched as the bunnies handed their bouquets to Dusk and Midnight, who then moved them inside the den. They both seemed confused when Seraphim came up, but he quickly shoved the bouquet into their paws and hopped away.

He paused by Fluttershy and Discord again, eyes lingering on Discord's, before squeaking something at Fluttershy and hopping away.

"What'd he say?" Discord asked.

"...He just said 'sorry'," Fluttershy responded. A small smile appeared on her face. "Angel needed to take baby steps, too. I'm glad to see Seraphim really is his son."

Discord chuckled, curling his body around her. "Let's hope none of your new great-grandkids ends up a troublemaker. I think dealing with two was enough."

She giggled, laying her head on top of his. He shifted himself so that she could lay comfortably in his coils and he could wrap his arms around her, and laid his head down carefully, not wanting to jostle her. She sighed and shifted so that she was snuggling into his neck instead of the top of his head.

They laid there, snuggling against each other, while Discord snapped up new flowers and showed them off to Fluttershy, making her laugh and compliment him. As soon as the flower bed was replenished, they pried away from each other and checked on a tired but happy Dawn one last time before heading back home.


	36. Delight in Debauchery

The bell rang, and the students all jumped to their feet, gathering their items. "Goodbye, class!" Fluttershy said cheerfully. "Remember to have your paper on rare creatures ready to give to Miss Applebloom by Monday! Have a good weekend!" The students returned her wishes and filed out the door, leaving her behind in an empty classroom.

With a sigh, she sat behind the desk and took a sip of hot tea. _The school is so different now,_ she thought to herself._ There are more students, and things seem more...school-like. But still a bit like how it used to be..._ She took another sip of tea, then glanced up at the clock. _An hour until Applebloom's next class...I should prepare for that._

She refiled through pieces of paper in Applebloom's desk until she found one titled, "The Study of Wild Creatures: 11 am class." She began to read through it, only looking up when a bright flash of light appeared in front of her.

Discord leaned over the desk, looking at her expectantly. She lightly kissed him on the lips, then said, "I'm afraid I'm not done yet. I still have one more class before noon, and two after that."

Discord groaned, deflating like a balloon until his chin hit the surface of the desk. "But Flutershhhhy," he whined. "I wanted to spend time with you today! I've already waited for most of the morning! Can't you just skip the rest of the classes?" He pouted, his pupils widening into a pitiful look.

She sighed and fixed him with a hard stare. "Discord, I agreed to substitute for Applebloom weeks ago. She deserves to have a day to herself every once in a while, and I promised I would take care of all her classes. I'm not going to back out on a promise." He snorted, glaring down at the desk and the papers on it.

She brushed a hoof through his mane, causing a shiver to travel down his spine to the end of his tail. "But I'd be happy to have lunch with you after my next class," she said. "And I can spend some of my time in between classes with you...as long as you understand that you might not get my full attention."

He lifted his head and tilted it in confusion. "Why not?"

"Because I have to read through Applebloom's lesson plan and figure out what she wants each class to do," she responded, pointing at the paper in front of her. "I need to spend at least some part of the time between classes focusing on it."

He floated to her side of the desk, scanning over the paper as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Ugh," he groaned. "Aren't you a substitute? Just give the kiddos a puzzle, or have them read their books or something."

She leaned back against his chest. "Discord, Applebloom went to the trouble of writing out the lesson plans. The least I can do is follow them."

Discord grumbled, scratching behind her ear. "Can I at least spend some of the in-between times with you, with your full attention?"

She nodded. "Of course." She tilted her head up to kiss his cheek. "In fact, we can spend some time together once I finish reading this."

He grinned and let go of her shoulders, backing away quietly, though his tail brushed against her side, and stayed there. Her eyes scanned over the paper several times until she was certain that she was prepared for the class. She glanced up at the clock—ten minutes had passed—then turned around to see what Discord was up to.

He was doodling circles and lines on the chalkboard, and various shapes that seemed to move and shift around and inside each other. The margins contained some complex formulas that made her head throb just looking at them, one of which he was just finishing, his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth.

"Discord?" she said. He flinched, dropping the piece of chalk. "What is that?"

He dusted off his hands, a large chalk cloud appearing and floating up to the ceiling. "Just a model of traveling through the fifth dimension by twisting the fourth," he said, blowing chalk dust off of his drawings.

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at it. Her head throbbed. "I...don't get it," she said.

"That's good," he said, nodding and patting her head. "Most ponies who do get it have gone insane. And I prefer that you stay sane."

She bit her lip. "...Maybe you should get rid of it before a student sees it." A pair of unicorns walked by the door. One of them glanced at the chalkboard. Their face grew flushed, then pale, and they put a hoof to their forehead, hurrying past.

Discord winced. "Whoops. You're right." He pulled his chalk drawings off of the chalkboard and rolled them up like a scroll before shoving them into his ear. "I've got to remember to keep stuff like that at home."

He smirked and leaned towards her, placing his hands on both sides of her, trapping her between him and the desk. "But you called my name," he purred, "And you know I can't be gotten rid of after that." He leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers.

She returned the kiss, her eyes sliding closed. He groaned and increased the pressure, brushing his tongue against her lips as his hands started to brush against her sides.

She pulled away and gasped, her eyes opening. "Discord!" she said, "I don't mind spending time with you, but...we can't do that kind of thing here! What if a student saw us?"

"I'm sure most of them know what two married creatures do in their own homes," he said, rubbing a thumb in circles at the nape of her neck. "Besides, it's just kissing...intensely. It's not like we're...you know..."

Fluttershy's face flushed bright red. "I-I don't think...I mean, we're behind the desk...they might think we're..." She trailed off, her blush spreading to her ears and neck. "B-besides, s-some of the students are pretty young. I-I don't want any of them seeing us..."

Discord snapped his fingers, and the classroom door shut itself. He leaned forward again, his lips aiming for her neck this time. Quickly, she put a hoof up to stop him, and pointed at the door.

"It doesn't lock," she said. "Someone could come in at any time. A-and there's that window." She pointed out the small window in the doorway—not large or low enough that anyone just coming by would see them, but large enough that any student trying to peek in and see if the substitute was available would get a full few of them making out. Discord groaned and let go of her sides, sliding down to the floor with a huff.

"Stupid school," he grumbled. He pouted, crossing his arms and glaring off to the side.

She sighed and shook her head. "Oh, Discord." She got off of her chair and brushed behind his ear with a wingtip. "You know we can do things like that once we're at home. You just need to have a little patience."

"Don't wanna," he grumbled, flicking an ear and turning his head. His eye seemed to catch on something, and after a few seconds, his pout shifted into a grin. "What's that?" he asked, pointing in the direction he was looking.

She followed his gaze to a simple doorway. "I think that's the supply closet for Applebloom's potions class," she said. "Why do you...?" She glanced back at him, and realized he was wearing an even larger grin on his face. "Discord?"

His grin grew, stretching past his face. "That door doesn't have a window," he said. "And if we closed it and turned the lights off in here..."

Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh...but what if a student needs my help?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Honestly, most of them will just wait for their regular teacher to return to answer all their questions. And you've already read through what you're doing for your next class, so what's the harm?"

She glanced between him and the closet. She shivered as she thought about the idea, her feathers ruffling slightly. "I could miss the class," she said weakly. "You're very distracting."

He chuckled and snapped his fingers, creating an alarm clock in his paw. "Set for five minutes before it starts," he said, twisting the key on the back. "Anything else, Professor Shy?" he asked, tail wagging, a hopeful expression on his face.

She paused for a few seconds, before finally saying, "O-okay. Let's do this." He smiled and offered her his arm, escorting her to the closet door. With a snap of his fingers, the lights went out and the door creaked open in front of them. As soon as they floated through, it creaked back closed behind them.

The first thing Fluttershy realized about the closet was that it was pitch-black. The second thing was that the smell of dust and potion ingredients mixed together in the air to create a sort of musty smell, one that tickled her sinuses. She sneezed. "Excuse me," she said, wiping at her nose.

"Gesundheit," he said. "Now, let's get a little bit of light on the subject..." He shifted a little, and she saw his paw open, tiny dots of light floating out from his palm and spreading through the corners of the closet. It was a small space, with shelves on both sides filled with jars and bottles of ingredients.

Discord dropped the alarm clock on a nearby shelf, glancing around the closet. "Now, let's see..." he said. With a snap of his fingers, the walls and shelves spread out, leaving them with more space. "Much better," he said, wrapping his arms around Fluttershy and pinning her to the plaid chaise lounge that had suddenly appeared.

He began to trail kisses along her neck, letting his fang graze her skin after each kiss. She felt a shiver go down her spine and sighed, relaxing onto the chaise and gazing at him. He glanced up at her and smirked, this time letting his fang come close to scratching her. She squeaked and squirmed, feathers ruffling.

His hands began to explore her sides as he continued kissing her neck, this time moving upwards. She sighed and wrapped her hooves around his neck, brushing them through his mane and behind his ears, reaching as far down his back as she could. He traced the edge of her wing with a finger, making her gasp and squeeze his neck tightly.

Finally, he pulled away from her neck and kissed her on the lips. He tangled his fingers in her mane, while she buried her hooves in his. They each pulled the other closer, deeper into the kiss, Discord even lifting her off of the chaise. They separated moments later with a _click_, each panting for breath.

Discord sighed and placed his head against her chest, still running his fingers through her mane. He shifted until his ear was right above her heart, and stopped, closing his eyes as he stroked her mane. She brushed her lips against his forehead.

"Please don't be mad later," he murmured. "It's just...I want to be close to you." His arms tightened around her. "I need you."

She wrapped a wing over his upper back. "Is it...one of those days?" she whispered. After a pause, she felt him nod. "Don't worry. I'm here." She kissed his forehead again. "I'll be here with you for as long as I can."

He snuggled into her, and she held her wing tighter against him. After minutes ticked by, with him unmoving, he stirred and began to trail kisses up her neck.

"B-better now?" she asked. He nodded, trailing his fang against her skin while tracing the edge of her wing with a finger. She shivered and relaxed back onto the chaise, rubbing at his shoulders as he continued trailing kisses.

Time passed by in a blur, the two of them tangling together, exchanging kisses with passion. They were in the middle of a passionate kiss, each of them holding the other close, when the closet door creaked open. Both of their eyes widened and shifted over to the doorway.

Starlight Glimmer stood there, eyes wide and mouth open. The three of them stared at each other for a few seconds, until the ringing of the alarm clock snapped them out of it.

Starlight coughed and turned away, a light blush on her cheeks. "I...just wanted to check that Fluttershy was doing fine, but it seems you're busy!" she said with a laugh. Fluttershy pulled out of the kiss and buried her bright red face in Discord's fur.

Starlight coughed again. "You should probably get ready for class, Fluttershy. Can I...talk with both of you in my office during lunch hour?" Discord tapped Fluttershy's head. She whispered a 'yes', which he relayed. "Great! I'll, um, see you later!" Starlight said, quickly turning and dashing out of the room.

Discord quickly straightened up and peeked out the door, looking in all directions. He turned back and gave her a thumbs-up, and they both exited the closet. Fluttershy took a seat behind the desk and began taking deep breaths, trying to get rid of the heat in her face.

Discord floated over with a hairbrush in his paw and began to brush her mane back into place. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy," he said. "I honestly believed we wouldn't get caught. I'm sorry I dragged you into such...wanton actions." He paused in his brushing, then shrugged and continued. "Actually, no. I'm only sorry we got caught."

She fanned her face as she felt her blush heat up. "I-it's fine, Discord. You said you needed closeness, and you did your best to keep us hidden." She tapped her hooves together. "It's embarrassing, but at least it wasn't a student who caught us."

After a few more seconds of him brushing her mane, she whispered, "B-besides, it was kind of...exciting." She heard Discord drop the hairbrush, and turned to see a stunned expression on his face, complete with a slight pink blush.

He shook his head and faced her with a grin. "I'll have to keep that in mind," he purred, running his claw under her chin. She smiled, trying to keep her blush from spreading.

She giggled, pushing his claw away. "Discord, you need to go. I'll see you after class, okay?"

"I'll bring you lunch," he said, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "And I'll make sure Starlight knows the whole thing was one hundred percent my idea. You won't get in any trouble."

She kissed his cheek right before he snapped his fingers. He grinned and disappeared in a flash of light. She took a deep breath and turned to face the desks, waiting for the students to arrive.

* * *

Starlight looked over her desk at the two of them, her forehooves clasped together. Fluttershy shifted in her seat, glancing over at Discord. He looked as cool as a cucumber, relaxing on a lawn chair and eating a bowl of macaroni that filled the whole room with the smell of garlic.

Starlight sighed, opening the window behind her with her magic. "So...do either of you have a good explanation as to _why_ you were making out in a potion closet?"

Discord raised his hand. "It was my idea, Headmare. I wanted to spend some quality time with my wife, and that closet seemed like the best way to not get caught."

Fluttershy added, "We didn't want any students seeing us...and I didn't want to leave the school grounds."

Starlight sighed, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. "Well, it might have worked...except the door wasn't exactly soundproof. How did you two think I knew to check in there?" Fluttershy and Discord both blushed, though Discord tried to hide his by shoving his head into his bowl.

Starlight sighed. "I understand that you're married, you two, but couldn't this sort of thing wait until you got home?"

Fluttershy gulped and said, "I would have waited, but Discord needed me. We needed to be close to each other." She reached out and grabbed Discord's paw. He slowly tightened it around her hoof, lifting his head up and smiling at her, noodles dripping down his face.

Starlight's expression softened. She took a sip from the cocoa mug next to her. "Alright. Discord, do you care to explain why you needed to be so close immediately?"

Discord frowned, glancing down at his bowl. Fluttershy placed her other hoof on his upper arm, patting it gently. "I just...need to be close to her, sometimes. Not often, but every once in a blue moon," he mumbled. "I just like to hold her, listen to her heartbeat...I just feel anxious until I can do that."

Starlight took another sip of her cocoa. "Alright. You say that this feeling doesn't happen that often?"

Fluttershy and Discord both nodded. "It's been over a year since this last happened, right, Cordy?" Fluttershy said, looking up at him. He nodded, patting her forehoof.

Starlight sighed. "Okay, good. I only have two things to say. First, as your friend: Discord, if those feelings happen any more frequently, I really recommend you see a therapist. I'm fairly sure it's not healthy."

"Second, as Headmare: seriously, both of you, please save the making out for when you're at home. At the very least, if you really can't wait, soundproof the closet door and put up a sign saying not to open the door. Alright?"

Fluttershy and Discord nodded, Fluttershy with a blush on her face. Starlight smiled and stood up. "Okay, that's all I had to say. Do you two want to come eat lunch with me in the cafeteria?"

Fluttershy smiled. "That'd be lovely."

Discord snapped his fingers and teleported the three of them into the cafeteria. Another snap, and a large gourmet salad appeared in front of Fluttershy. He held her chair out for her before taking his seat.

He swiped the noodles off of his face and continued to eat his macaroni, starting a conversation with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle about their classes. Fluttershy and Starlight talked about her classes until the five of them merged their conversations into one.

Discord wrapped a wing over Fluttershy's back as they talked, leaning closer to her. She smiled up at him, looking carefully into his eyes. He smiled back, and his eyes showed it was genuine. He looked happy, without any sort of worry or anxiety he was trying to hide from her.

The smile began more mischievous as he 'accidentally' brushed the edge of her wing with his own as he folded it. She shivered and grinned back. "Later," she mouthed. He grinned and turned back to the lunch and conversation.


	37. Trials and Thorns

Discord appeared in his living room in a flash of light. "I'm home!" he called, tossing a soaking wet poncho onto a nearby coat rack.

Fluttershy, who was sitting on the couch, lifted her head up from the book in her hooves. "Welcome home!" she said. "What were the monsoons of Kludgetown like?"

"Oh, I've seen worse," he said. "But they were still rather dangerous for the inhabitants. I wrangled that rouge storm and corralled it off into the desert without too much trouble." He flew over and sat down on the couch next to her.

She leaned against his side. "That's good to hear," she said. "And I'm sure Twilight will be happy, too." She smiled. "My day wasn't as exciting as yours. Nothing much happened at the sanctuary, so I've spent most of my day reading."

"Oooh, whatcha reading?" he asked, stretching his neck and twisting it around to look over her shoulder. She nuzzled his cheek, then held the book up so he could see the page she was on.

"It's a book about one of the rarest flowers in Equestria," she explained. "It's called the Fairy Rose." she pointed at a pencil sketch, heavily smudged. It looked like a normal rose to him, unless some of the smudges meant there was a pattern on the petals.

"That's the only known picture of it. Everything else known about the flower comes from what creatures wrote down after they saw it." Her eyes gleamed. "It's said to be a deep, pure black color, with green and blue spots on its petals. And the spots glowed when something magical was nearby!" She sighed, looking at the page. "It sounds beautiful."

"Why's there just one picture of it?" he asked. "If this flower is so great and rare, why hasn't anyone gotten one, or tried growing it themselves?"

"Because there's only one place it's reported to grow," she said, flipping to the cover of the book. On the inside was an old map drawn with jagged ink, a section marked _Danger!_ and _Only Enter if No Other Option!_, where Fluttershy placed her hoof. "The Changeling Swamp," she said with a shiver. "Thorax says that's where the changelings came from, and where they got the stone for Chrysalis's throne."

"It's a dangerous place, so no one goes there," she continued. "It seems to repel all magic but changeling magic, and it's filled with other swamp dangers...quicksand, predators..." She shivered again. "No one wants to go in there just for a flower."

"But it's supposed to be a beautiful flower, huh?" he said.

"Oh, yes," she said. "Travelers who went into the swamp when there were no other options said that it was the only good thing in that place."

He grinned as an idea popped into his brain. Fluttershy marked her place in the book and set it aside. "But I'm sure that you're hungry, after all the work you've done," she said. "So I made you some peanut butter and pickle sandwiches!" She hopped off the couch and headed into the kitchen.

"Mmm, sounds delicious! You spoil me, dear Fluttershy," he said, floating along behind her. They dug into the sandwiches, while Discord thought about his idea, puzzling it out as he ate.

* * *

The next morning started well. He and Fluttershy spent a few minutes cuddling in bed before their stomachs convinced them to get up and make breakfast. After a few bowls of yogurt, topped with fruit in Fluttershy's case and candy in Discord's, Fluttershy kissed him on the cheek and wished him a good day before flying through one of the sanctuary portals.

As soon as she was gone, Discord flew around the house, grabbing supplies and throwing them haphazardly into a large backpack. Once it was full, he snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.

He reappeared at the border between a wasteland and swamp. His feet landed in some mud, and he stuck his tongue out, snapping up a pair of snowshoes and stepping up onto the mud's surface, shaking the muck off of him. He reached over his shoulder, rustling around in the backpack. He brought out a paper with a rough drawing of the Fairy Rose, looking over it and nodding before stuffing it back into the pack and walking into the darkness of the swamp.

"Okay," he said aloud. "This should be simple enough. I just need to find the flower, grab it, and teleport back out. Easy as pie!" He snapped his fingers, waiting for a fresh apple pie to appear in his paw. But instead, his magic seemed to flicker in the air before petering out.

He sighed. "Guess that book wasn't exaggerating about the anti-magic properties," he said. "Oh well. I packed a lunch, and that's just one extra step: leave the swamp, _then_ teleport back home." He smiled and continued forward with a spring in his step.

"I'll be back before supper. Maybe even before lunch! And oh, I can't wait to see the look on my darling Fluttershy's face when I show her the rose!" He sighed and closed his eyes, letting his mind drift away to blissful thoughts of her smiling, eyes lighting up, her wrapping her hooves around her neck to kiss him and nuzzle him...

He shook his head, slapping himself. "Save it for later," he told himself. "Right now, I've got a flower to find."

* * *

He groaned, leaning against a tree and wiping sweat off of his brow, panting. The swamp was terribly humid, and he had been walking for what felt like miles. He had fallen into several puddles that had appeared out of nowhere, so his entire lower body was soaked with muddy water. His snowshoes had slipped off, meaning he had to actually wade through the icky mud, and he had gotten spiderwebs and thin vines caught in his horns.

He brushed the things off of his head and tossed the bundle lightly onto a nearby branch before he lifted up his dragon foot and began pulling rocks and twigs out from between his scales.

As soon as that was done, and he had rubbed a little of the soreness out of his muscles, his stomach gurgled. He sighed. "Might as well break for lunch," he said. "Can't search for anything on an empty stomach."

He unsheathed his lion claws and dug them into the bark of the tree. Using his claws and feet, and pumping his wings for an extra boost, he clambered up to one of the top branches. He took the backpack off and hung it on a thick branch, rubbing at his shoulders. He draped himself across several branches, wrapping his tail around one, and dug around in his backpack, pulling out a brown paper bag.

He opened it up and pulled out an apple and two peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. He licked his lips and took a large bite out of a sandwich, moaning and closing his eyes.

A suddenly cracking sound made his eyes shoot open, his head whipping in the direction of the sound. The branch he had put his backpack on was bending under the weight, coming dangerously close to cracking.

He shouted a few foul words, quickly leaning over and reaching out to grab it. He snagged the sides just in time, as the branch broke and fell down through the other branches, splashing into the mud below.

He sighed in relief and leaned back, holding the backpack against his chest...and noticing that his lunch was no longer there.

He glanced down. Below him, a brown paper sack held futilely onto a branch, but was blown away in the wind. At the very base of the tree, two sandwiches and an apple were slowly sinking into the mud.

Grumbling more curses, he quickly slung his backpack over one shoulder and slid down the tree trunk, wincing as the rough bark scratched his palms and feet. As soon as his feet splashed into the mud, he quickly reached down and scooped up his lunch.

The apple was half-covered in mud, the sandwich he had bitten into only had a corner soaked, and the other sandwich had been completely soaked. A bit more digging, and he managed to unearth the large slice of cheesecake that was going to be his dessert and the chips he was going to snack on, almost unrecognizable underneath the mud.

As he held all of them in his hands, part of the cheesecake fell back into the mud, the remainder of it drooping into a soggy mess. He narrowed his eyes at it before sighing and tossing it over his shoulder, back into the muck. Carefully, juggling everything between his hands and tail, he used his fur to wipe off most of the mud on the apple and chip bag. He regarded his sandwiches, nibbling at the corner of the completely soaked one.

He stuck his tongue out and spat it out, throwing the sandwich as far away from him as he could. He tore the soaked corner off of the other sandwich and dropped it, then leaned back against the tree and ate what was left of his lunch.

* * *

He tromped through the mud, munching on his chips as he went. They were, by far, the best part of his lunch. The sandwich had tasted alright, but the pickles had soaked up just enough water to become soggy, ruining the crisp texture he enjoyed, and the apple had still tasted faintly of muck, no matter how many times he polished it.

But none of the muddy water had managed to get through the bag, which left his chips perfectly untouched. He grabbed another handful of the salty snacks and shoved them into his mouth. He chewed on them until they were flavorless mush before finally swallowing, taking a peek into his chips bag. There wasn't much left, maybe a quarter or so, and his stomach was still gurgling.

"I can have a feast when I get home," he said to himself. "Sandwiches, soups, gigantic cakes..." His stomach growled, and he grimaced. "When I get home," he said. "For now, I have to focus on finding the rose."

He continued on his path, wincing as hidden stones and twigs buried themselves in his scales and fur, licking salt and crumbs off of his fingers before taking another bunch of chips.

* * *

He had discarded the empty bag of chips a long time ago, after licking out every crumb and speck of salt. Since then, he had acquired a collection of rocks in between his scales and hoof, an array of sore muscles in his legs, a few scratches on his knees and hands from low branches, and a lovely coat of mud.

Thankfully, he had just found a dry rock path. It was hard and rough, hurting the soles of his feet, but at least it was dry, faster to walk on, and didn't hide any rocks and twigs from him.

He glanced up at the branches above, which blocked out most of the light. "I wonder how long it's been," he said aloud. "Surely not _that_ long. My lunch 'break' was pretty short, and I haven't taken that many breaks aside from that..." He sighed. "How hard is it supposed to be to find one flower!?"

A glint of green off to the side caught his eye. "Hmm?" He turned his head. There were glimmers of green and blue standing out in the gloom, past tree branches and vines.

He gasped and rushed in that direction on all fours, uncaring as he plunged back into the cold muck. He crashed through the tree branches, wincing as splinters scratched and dug into his skin.

He stopped just in front of a hill of damp earth. Surrounded by trees and mud, it was covered with winding, thorny vines, and dotted with large black roses, speckled with dots of blue and green light.

"Oh, thank chaos and disarray," he said, slumping down into the mud. He carefully reached into his backpack and pulled out the paper with a drawing of the flower, holding it up to one of the closest blooms and comparing them. "Thank entropy and disorder," he groaned, shoving it back into his backpack.

With some more rummaging, he pulled out a pair of scissors. He stood up and carefully stepped onto the hill, doing his best to avoid the thorns.

Bending down, he opened the scissors and began to cut the roses off of the thorny vines. He pricked himself a few times, but still continued until he was holding ten of the roses.

He held them in his claw, glaring at the few tiny thorns that were still on the stems. "I guess I'll need to pull those off," he said. "I don't see what was so hard about that. I mean, the walk wasn't pleasant at all, but wouldn't some pony go for it anyway at some point to get a beautiful flower like this?"

A low growl came from the top of the hill. Discord turned and lifted his head, his heart pounding and sinking into his stomach.

A chimera stood at the hill's peak. Its tiger head and snake head were baring their fangs at him, while the goat head was glaring at him, snorting. Its legs were covered in mud. "Intruder!" the tiger head growled.

"Those are _our_ flowers!" the goat head shouted. The snake head hissed. The chimera pawed at the ground, the goat head lowering and pointing its horns at him. With another snort, it charged at him.

With a yelp, Discord turned on his heel and ran. He registered that there were thorns digging into his feet, but the fear he was feeling overrode any feelings of pain he might have felt.

He splashed into the muddy water, panicking as it slowed down his footsteps. Quickly, he shoved the bouquet of roses into his mouth and started to run on all fours.

He plowed straight through everything in his path, still hearing the grunting and growling of the chimera behind him. He tore through branches and vines, and clamored over boulders and logs in his path. Every few seconds he snapped his tail feathers, desperately trying to teleport. Each time, he felt his magic slip away before it could form into a spell.

He glanced over his shoulder. He was still ahead of the chimera, but it was keeping up with him, and didn't seem to be getting tired. With a quick shrug, he loosened the shoulder straps on his backpack, and with a few quick tugs, he pulled it off, throwing it blindly behind him.

An angry roar told him he had succeeded in hitting the chimera. He put all of his energy into running a little faster, glancing behind him again. The chimera's eyes were closed, and it was shaking its goat head, trying to dislodge the backpack from its horns.

He took a sharp right turn and pressed himself against the trunk of a tree, holding his breath as he heard the ripping of cloth and the splashes of the chimera's feet. They passed right by his hiding place with a growl. He shifted just the smallest bit, to watch them out of the corner of his eye, and saw the tiger head sniff at the ground.

"We've lost the trail," she growled. "I can't smell anything in this cursed swamp."

"Why can't we just move?" the snake head hissed as the chimera turned around and headed back towards the flower hill.

"This place is okay enough. We have enough to eat with all those flowers," the goat head said. "Besides, at least we don't have that many intruders disturbing us. Remember what our cousin said about the Fire Swamp?"

"At least if there were intruders we could have something _decent_ to eat," growled the tiger head. "I'm sick of..." Their bickering faded into silence. Discord slowly poked his head out from behind the tree and saw that they had disappeared. He sighed in relief and snuck back to where he had thrown his backpack.

It was shredded into ribbons, its contents scattered through the mud. With a groan of irritation, he bent down and began to sift through the mud, glancing up every few seconds to make sure he was still safe.

After a few seconds of searching, he pulled out a compass covered in mud. He clicked it open and looked at the needle, turning in place until he was facing the direction the needle pointed. It was only a few degrees angled away from the direction he had already been running in.

With a glance over his shoulder, he started walking forward at a brisk pace. Now that his heartbeat was slowing and fear wasn't filling his mind, sensations of pain were finally starting to sink in...including in his mouth.

He glanced down, and remembered he had shoved the bouquet into his mouth in his fright...and the small thorns were poking his lips, tongue, and gums.

"Oooow," he moaned, opening his mouth and letting the bouquet fall into his open paw, spitting out a few of the thorns. "Hopefully the exit isn't too far away...I can heal myself once I'm out of here."

He winced as the next few steps sent more pain into his feet. "Maybe I can hide for a second and pull those thorns out..." he murmured to himself.

His ears stood up as a howl rang through the trees, sounding far off. Another howl answered, sounding a bit closer. He started to sweat, his heart pounding in his chest, as the howls—timberwolf howls, he realized—continued, some of them sounding too close for his liking.

"Running. Running sounds good," he said, shoving the bouquet back into his mouth and dropping onto all fours again, tucking the compass under a wing as he ran straight in the direction it had pointed out to him.

* * *

Discord appeared in front of his front door with a flash of light. His feet gave out from under him, and he collapsed on his stomach. His mouth dropped open, tongue rolling out, the bouquet falling onto the ground.

He laid there for a few more seconds, breathing deeply. His panic slowly died down, and his aches and pains returned worse than ever. He wanted to snap everything away, but he was too tired to lift a hand.

A minute or so later, he sighed and pulled himself back onto his feet, scooping up the bouquet. "Fluttershy should be at the sanctuary, so I should have the house to myself," he said aloud. "I'll just lie on the couch for a bit, grab some snacks, then I'll heal myself."

He opened the door, leaning forward and falling through the door more than walking through it. His eyes landed on his goal, the couch—and widened when he saw Fluttershy sitting there, frantically writing something on a scroll. He could feel the blood rush from his face, and he quickly hid the roses behind his back.

He stumbled onto the carpet, the door clicking closed behind him. Fluttershy flinched, her head snapping up to look at him. Immediately, she dropped the scroll and quill and rushed over to him, throwing her hooves around his neck and almost knocking him over.

"Discord!" she cried, peppering his face with kisses. She pulled away, holding his cheeks between her hooves and looking him in the eyes. "Where have you been!? Do you know how worried I've been!? I was about to write to Twilight to find you!" She noticed he was covered in mud and scrapes. "What in Equestria happened to you!?"

She looked ready to panic, so he quickly said, "Fluttershy, it's okay. I'm fine. It's nothing a bit of magic won't fix." He kissed her forehead lightly. "I didn't mean to worry you, sweetness. I didn't think I would be gone for a long time."

"It's nine pm!" Fluttershy said. "You missed lunch and dinner...how did you not notice that?" His stomach growled loudly, and her frown deepened. "Did you even get anything to eat today!?"

"Well...sort of?" he said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I packed a lunch, but I lost most of it..."

Her eyes narrowed. "What exactly were you doing, where you couldn't make your own food or check the time, and ended up like..._this_!" she said, gesturing to his mud-covered front.

He grinned sheepishly and brought out the roses. A little bit of mud had splashed onto them, and they had become limp at some point in his running. With a snap of his tail feathers, they straightened up and became clean, and their thorns disappeared. "I wanted to give you these," he said, placing them gently in her hooves. "The most beautiful flowers for the most beautiful pony."

She quietly accepted the roses, looking down at the dark petals with their glowing spots. Carefully, she flew over to the couch and set them down on the dresser next to it. She leaned down and took a deep breath, smelling the roses, her eyes closing for just a second.

Then she flew back over to him and dug her hooves into his shoulders.

"Discord, did you go into the Changeling Swamp!?" she yelled. He nodded. "Meaning you didn't have _any_ of your magic?" He nodded, a bit more slowly. "A place filled with mud, predators, and—" she glanced at his paw "—large thorns?" He bit his lip and lowered his ears, giving a tiny nod.

"You went into a dangerous place, where you couldn't use your magic...where you could have _died_ or seriously injured yourself—to get me some flowers."

"The rarest flowers in the world," he mumbled, fiddling with his thumbs.

She sighed, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. She stayed there for a few seconds, slowly draping her hooves over his back. "I was so scared," she whispered. "You weren't here, and you weren't coming when I called for you...I was so scared."

She began to shake, and he slowly wrapped his arms around her. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry," he said. "I just wanted to do something nice and amazing for you."

She clung to him tighter, and her shaking slowly died down. She looked up at him, her eyes stern, but still a bit damp. "Never do something like that again," she said. "I know you do dangerous things all the time, but...all those times, you have your magic, and I know where you are. Today, you..."

"I'm sorry. I promise I won't do that again. I'll just stick to making my own flowers for you," he said. He kissed her forehead again. She flinched, and he quickly pulled away, running his tongue against his lip. There was a thorn stuck there.

Her eyes lost their sternness and filled with worry. She stretched her neck out and grabbed the thorn between her teeth, quickly pulling it out and dropping it into her hoof. "Your magic is back by now, right?" she said. "You couldn't have come home so quickly if you didn't..."

"It's back," he said. He used his magic to pull and spit out all the thorns in his mouth. But he still felt sore there, and stumbled on his feet as soon as the magic left him. "I just...wanted to rest and get something to eat before I used it to fix myself up." His stomach growled loudly, annoyed at being forgotten.

"Of course!" she said. "You lay down on the couch, and I'll make you something to eat." She flew behind him and pushed him towards the couch, before flying quickly into the kitchen.

He collapsed on the couch, watching the ceiling spin above him, his mind turning into cotton as he sank into the soft couch. The only thing that kept him from completely sinking into unconsciousness was the aching in his stomach, mouth, hands, and feet.

A yellow blur appeared next to him. "I made applesauce with banana and cinnamon," it said it an angelic voice. "And there's soup heating up on the stove." A bowl was placed carefully onto his chest, and a pillow was shoved under his head. A gentle hoof took his claw and manipulated the fingers into curling around a spoon, and helped him guide the spoon from the bowl to his mouth.

He slowly swallowed, pushing the delicious mixture down his dry throat. He coughed. "Oh, sorry. I'll get you some water," Fluttershy said, flying back into the kitchen. Slowly, he let his mind become fuzzy again, his hand moving robotically to bring spoonfuls of applesauce into his mouth.

She flew back next to him, gently pressing a glass against his lips. He carefully sipped the water she poured into his mouth, letting it soothe his dry throat. She set the glass aside once he had finished it off, and he continued to spoon applesauce into his mouth.

She pulled out the few thorns stuck in his lion paw, then flew to his feet, carefully rubbing them with her hooves. "Oh, your poor feet," she said. "What in the world happened in there?" Still rubbing at the soles of his feet, she began to pull out some of the thorns and rocks.

"There was a tree...'n a chim'ra," he mumbled before eating his next spoonful. "And runnin'..."

"Shhh," she said, patting his knee. "Don't say anything now. Just eat and rest, and you can tell me later."

He obliged, continuing to eat his applesauce and sinking his head into the pillow, closing his eyes and letting the fuzzy feeling fill his head, his eyelids drooping shut.

He heard her sigh. "They really are beautiful flowers," he heard her say. "But did you honestly think they'd mean as much to me as...as you do?"

With great effort, he lifted his tail and brushed his feathers against where he thought her cheek was. She sighed and placed a hoof on his tail, holding it close to her for a few more seconds, before she let go and moved closer to his head, carefully holding onto his claw. "Here, let me help you," she said. "Just relax." She guided the spoon into his mouth, and he let himself sink closer to sleep.


	38. Restlessness and Relaxation

"Tea?" Discord said, holding a steaming kettle on a tray out to Fluttershy.

She had just polished off the molten chocolate cake that had been the final course of their dinner. "No thank you," she said. "I might go to bed soon, and if I have tea, I might not be able to sleep."

He poured himself a cup of tea, adding in a dollop of honey. "You say that...but I can remember a time or two when you've fallen asleep right after drinking a kettle of tea," he said, taking a sip. He frowned and dropped five sugar cubes in.

She smiled. "Well, most of those times were after some very long and exciting days. Like that chaotic day after you filed all that paperwork for me. And I prefer low caffeine or herbal tea even then." She watched as he took another sip. "But today has been slow, and I'm...a little tired, but not exhausted. That tea will wake me right up." She grinned. "I wouldn't mind one of your cucumber sandwiches, though."

He smiled and snapped his fingers, creating a whole platter of cucumber sandwiches. She began to nibble on them, while he took another long sip of his tea. "Discord, I wouldn't drink too much tea if I were you," she cautioned. "I'd hate for you to be up all night, not able to sleep."

He scoffed. "Dearest Fluttershy, a little bit of tea and sugar will not be enough to keep me from having a good night's rest." He topped off his cup, then swallowed the whole thing, tilting his head back and gulping loudly.

"If you're sure," she said, taking another sandwich from the platter.

"Sure as sure can be," he said, dipping a sandwich in tea before tossing it down his gullet.

* * *

Discord found himself staring up at the ceiling, wide-eyed.

_Curse your foresight, Fluttershy_, he thought, glaring at the pegasus who was sleeping peacefully beside him. He glanced over at the clock. It was just a few minutes past ten. He groaned, and rolled onto his other side, turning away from Fluttershy.

After a few moments in that position, he fidgeted and turned back towards his wife. Something inside him—probably the tea—was making his skin crawl whenever he tried to get comfortable and stay still, making his heart and mind beat furiously, making his muscles twitch with the desire to _do_ something, anything other than lay down and sleep!

He curled a little closer to his sleeping wife. Normally listening to her breathing, or even placing his ear to her chest to hear her heart beating, was the best way to calm him down, like a soothing lullaby. He glanced down at his hands. They were twitching slightly, glitchy wind-up toys powered by tea and chaos. He only ever dared to lay close to Fluttershy if he could remain perfectly, totally still—he didn't want his random twitching to wake her up.

He tapped his fingers together. If he didn't sleep now, he'd be tired the next day. And if he was tired the next day, he would be miserable, and unable to fully enjoy any time spend with Fluttershy.

He rolled onto his back to face the ceiling, dragging his fingers along his muzzle. _What to do? What to do?_ he thought. He summoned a piece of yarn and began making a cat's cradle between his fingers.

Suddenly, a lava lamp appeared above his head. "I can do stuff to tire myself out!" he declared in a hushed whisper. Fluttershy mumbled sleepily, making him flinch and freeze up, eyes wide and trained on her.

She shifted a little closer to his side of the bed, mumbling, "Cordy..." He grabbed his chest with his paw, willing his heart not to give out from the sweet act. She eventually stopped her shifting, but a slight frown was on her face.

Sighing, he snapped his fingers and created a body-length pillow, with a picture of him sleeping soundly on it. He grabbed it and plopped it in front of her so that it was lightly brushing against her front hooves. She shifted again, snuggling into the pillow with a soft smile on her face. He leaned down and brushed his lips ever so lightly against her forehead—a ghost of a kiss. Her smile widened, and she snuggled deeper into the pillow.

He sighed and threw off his blankets, floating quickly out of bed and making himself insubstantial to float through the door. Once in the hall, he floated past all the doors, opening each one and closing them as he decided it wouldn't do.

Soon, he came to a wooden door splattered with paint. He opened it and scanned the craft room, wondering if anything would satisfy him. The kiln, surrounded by large lumps of clay, caught his eye.

He teleported over and grabbed one of the lumps, stretching it between his hands. "Maybe I can make a nice sculpture," he said, "And that could tire me out enough to fall asleep." The thought of that was enough to make him throw the clay onto the nearest table and start molding it with his bare hands.

* * *

Half an hour later, the glazed sculpture of himself holding out a realistic heart was in the kiln. He sat in front of it, letting the heat waft over his coat, wondering if it was worth the effort to make another sculpture. Making the first one didn't seem to tire him out at all.

He tossed the ball of clay he had been playing with back on top of its original lump, and considered speeding up the kiln to finish his sculpture and paint it. The idea didn't appeal much, though, so with a sigh, he conjured up a few fire extinguishers, ordering them very clearly when a fire counted as dangerous (outside the kiln) and how they were to react (spray it immediately, not find him and ask him what to do).

With that, he left the room, remembering to shut the door and fireproof it and the walls with a snap of his fingers, just to be safe. And once again, he began to wander down the hall.

* * *

He tried his hand at a few more activities. One-player ping pong, where he raced from one side of the table to the other, swimming laps in the pool, frosting and decorating a giant six-tier cake...eventually, he grew bored of all of these and left to search for something else to do.

He rubbed his eyes and checked the closest clock. After staring at it for a few seconds, trying to read its melting face, he realized it was an hour past midnight. "Sweet chaos, I've been up that long?" He bounced on his heels. He still didn't feel tired or sluggish. "Ugh, what will it take!?"

He pressed his hands against his eyes in frustration, grumbling curses towards caffeine under his breath. But something about his hands made him pause. He held them away from his face, doing his best to hold them perfectly still. They didn't twitch, not even an inch.

"Ah-ha!" he said. "If I'm not twitching, I won't wake up Fluttershy! And that means...!" He snapped his fingers and appeared in the bedroom, floating above the bed. Fluttershy was fast asleep, her hooves loosely wrapped around the body pillow he had made.

He carefully pulled it out of her hooves and slithered in to replace it. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his head against her chest, shifting until his ear was right above her heart.

Its beating was soft and sluggish, her breathing slow and even. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind of everything but the sound of her heartbeat and breathing. He reached up with his claw and began to slowly stroke her mane as gently as possible, letting her silk tresses slide between his fingers.

The urge to move, to do anything but relax slowly died down, washed away by her presence. The energy buzzing through him still remained, but there wasn't as much left as at the beginning of the night. And slowly, so slowly, it faded away too.

His mind felt fuzzy, his head heavy. After a time he struggled not to count, he drifted into the deep darkness of sleep.

* * *

Discord woke up mid-snore, jolting awake with a loud snort. His first reaction was to recoil from the wet spot of drool on his pillow. The next was to check and make sure he hadn't accidentally woken up Fluttershy.

She wasn't there. His initial reaction was to panic, but a glance at the clock on the wall told him that it was nine in the morning: hours later than when he and Fluttershy would normally wake up. With a groan and flap of his wings, he got out of bed, planning to go to the kitchen and grab something to eat.

Before he could make it to the door, though, it creaked open. Fluttershy walked in, carrying a tray on her back. "Oh good, you're awake!" she said. "I was worried you might sleep in until noon." She grabbed the tray and held it out to him. "I thought I'd make you breakfast."

A loud growl from his stomach prompted him to sit back down on the bed and grab the tray from her hooves. It was a simple breakfast: pancakes, a bowl of strawberries, and two hardboiled eggs, with a glass of milk to wash it down. He immediately began digging into the pancakes, summoning a jar of peanut butter and slathering it onto the pile as he went.

As he switched from devouring pancakes to polishing off the eggs in two bites each, Fluttershy sat down next to him. "So...you didn't sleep well last night, did you?" she asked.

He glanced down at her as strawberry juice ran into his beard. Any other pony might have a smug look, one they wore right before they said '_I told you so._' But not his Fluttershy. Her expression was worried, concerned, just a breath away from laying a gentle hoof on his arm.

He took another bite out of the pancakes, chewing them slowly as he thought about how to respond. Finally, he swallowed and said, "No...I didn't. That tea really did keep me up most of the night. I should have listened to you. I'm sorry."

"Discord, you don't have to apologize to me," she said. "I just want you to remember this in the future. I don't like the thought of you being up all night, unable to sleep."

"I wasn't up _all_ night," he said, pouring some chocolate syrup on what was left of the pancakes. "Just most of it. And I even did a few productive things last night, like make a clay sculpture and frost a cake."

"How late were you up?" she asked.

"...about one in the morning," he said. She gasped, a hoof flying to her mouth. Her eyes were big and sorrowful. "Oh, don't look at me like that," he said. "I still got some sleep, didn't I? And it was all thanks to you, anyway."

She tilted her head. "What do you mean? I didn't do anything..."

_"Au contraie_," he said. "Your presence alone helped me. After I worked off some energy and twitchiness, your heartbeat was what eventually helped me to sleep. Being next to you as you slept was like hearing a soothing lullaby while wrapped up in a thick blanket, laying in a warm sunbeam."

She blushed, brushing a strand of her mane in front of her face. "Well, I'm...glad I could help you," she said quietly. "I'm just sorry that you've gotten so little sleep."

He yawned. "I just don't understand why I'm so tired. I've gone whole nights without sleeping before and been mostly fine. Like that time I took care of all that horrid paperwork for you."

"Well, you were up late the night before with Spike and Big Mac, too," she said. "And the night before that, you stayed up late to finish the novel you were reading—though I don't know why you used a flashlight under the covers."

She shook her head. "Anyway, all of that adds up. Plus, it sounds like you did a lot of different things that consumed your energy last night. Even if you did sleep in, I'm not surprised you're so tired."

He dumped the bowl of strawberries down his throat, then stretched with a loud yawn. "Well, it'll all work out," he said. "I just need to spend a lazy day using little energy, maybe get in a few naps." He stretched again and laid his head down on his pillow, using a straw to drink up the rest of his pancakes and milk.

Before he could roll onto his side, snuggle into the pillow, or even close his eyes, Fluttershy laid a hoof on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Discord, but napping now is a bad idea," she said. "If you get some sleep now, you'll be rested and awake this evening. Then you'll spend another night not able to sleep, and—!" She frowned, her eyes wide and shiny. "I don't want to be in a cycle where we're sleeping at different times!"

He groaned. _Can't argue when she looks like that...and when she makes a good point._ "I can try," he said, sitting up and snapping his fingers. A steaming teacup appeared in his paw. "I just need a little boost..."

She placed a hoof on his wrist, shaking her head. "I don't think that's a good idea, either," she said. "It might help for a little, but what about once it wears off?"

Discord stroked his beard, a thought bubble forming about his head. An image of himself appeared, happily going about his day, with a meter that read 'Caffeine' right next to him. The meter slowly began to disappear inch by inch...and when it did, the image of himself suddenly froze, then crashed dramatically to the ground, half-asleep.

He cringed and waved the bubble away. "Well, what if I keep using tea to boost my energy?" he said. The thought bubble returned, showing himself lying in bed, eyes wide with dark circles under them, as he shivered from the caffeine running through him. "Ugh, isn't there something between crashing and being too awake?"

"...I think the only way to have that in-between is to not drink anything with caffeine," she said. Another thought bubble appeared, showing him as he was right now—a tired, yawning draconequus with dark shadows under his eyes, going about his day at a slow rate. But he kept moving forward and didn't crash through the day.

"Hmm," Discord said, holding up a remote and pressing the fast forward button. The image in the thought bubble zoomed by, and he hit play once the scene became dark. It showed him in bed, sleeping soundly and curled around Fluttershy.

"But today's going to be rough, isn't it?" he said. Fluttershy nodded. With a sigh, he set down his teacup and rolled out of bed. "Well...do you need any help with your animals? I think I need something to keep me busy so I don't accidentally doze off."

"Yes, of course," she said as he brushed his mane and teeth. "I can think of a few things you can do." He hummed, eyes blinking slowly closed. He managed to catch himself and snap awake just in time.

* * *

Fluttershy shook Discord's shoulder, and he jolted awake with a snort. "You're so close," she said. "Just finish your supper, please. Or at least eat most of it."

He lifted his head out of the bowl of shredded paper and paper clips and began to tiredly spoon the concoction into his mouth. He yawned, leaning his cheek against his fist.

The day had just dragged on for him. Thankfully Fluttershy was there to shake him awake, and to assign him to tasks he could put his energy into, like searching the lakes and ponds for anything that didn't belong or herding the rabbits around to ensure they didn't overgraze their favorite meadow.

He felt his eyelids drooping and quickly jolted awake before he fell asleep in his dinner again. He looked over the table at Fluttershy, who had prepared herself a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich for supper.

"I can make you something better," he said. "If you want..." He lifted his fingers into a snapping position.

She shook her head. "No, this is fine. Please don't strain yourself for me." He let his hand drop back down, and he leaned against it again as he kept eating.

He managed to polish off his bowl. As soon as he was done, Fluttershy placed their dishes next to the sink and wrapped her forehooves around him as he stood up. He leaned against her as they went to their bedroom, his mind already growing fuzzy.

He must have nodded off, because the next thing he knew, he was tucked under the covers and Fluttershy was snuggling into his chest. "I love you, Discord. Sleep well."

"Love you..." he murmured, wrapping an arm around her just before he drifted back to sleep.


	39. Trouble with Troublemakers

"Anything exciting happen today?" Discord asked as he took a bite out of the pizza he and Fluttershy were sharing.

She sighed. "Well...do you remember how a new group of students signed up to volunteer last week?" Discord nodded. "Well, most of them are good workers...except for one."

Discord dropped his pizza, slamming his hands onto the table. "Who is it, how bad are they, and how can I deal with them?" he said.

"It's not that bad!" Fluttershy quickly said. "His name's Lucky Clover, and he's a second-year student. He signed up to work at the sanctuary almost every day of the week!"

She glanced down. "But...he hasn't really done a lot of work yet. I've had to show him how to do tasks several times...and sometimes, he does the tasks so poorly I have to redo them." She sighed again. "Like how he checked all the water filters but didn't write anything down, so I had to check them again to see how the water was..."

Discord grunted, digging his claws into the table. "I can take care of that little slacker," he growled.

She quickly shook her head. "Oh, no! It's fine, really! I'm sure that he just needs to learn how to do everything, and things will be okay. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

He withdrew his claws and shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted that way." He reached out to her. "You can tell me anything, my love. I'll try not to lose my head like that again."

She carefully grabbed his paw and pressed it against her cheek, closing her eyes. "I know," she said. "I'm sorry for venting. It's just been...a little stressful." She opened her eyes and smiled. "But...you really don't have to do anything. Just telling you makes me feel better already."

He smiled, trailing his hand up her cheek to scratch behind her ear. "You can vent to me anytime," he said. "And if he really becomes a problem, say the word and I'll fix everything." He slowly retracted his hand and continued to eat his pizza. "But are there any other problem volunteers I should worry about?"

"Oh, no," she said, continuing to eat her own pizza. "They're all good volunteers. Most of them are hard workers, and everyone is doing their best!"

Discord smiled, snapping his fingers to fill her glass of orange soda as she talked about the wonderful volunteers she had. _Maybe she's right,_ he thought. _This stallion might just be learning how to do things. He'll figure things out in a few days, and he won't be another source of stress for Fluttershy._

He offered her another pizza, which she politely declined, so he brought out a pizza-sized cookie. _I hope to chaos that she's right._

* * *

It became increasingly clear throughout the week that Fluttershy was unfortunately not right.

Every evening, and even during times when he visited the sanctuary, she looked frustrated about something, and sometimes even a little tired. When they were home, she would rant about whatever Lucky Clover had done (or more often, _not_ done) that day.

"He didn't get rid of any of the dust and leaves he swept on the cat patio," she finished with a sigh, leaning against his side. "So I had to ask another volunteer to help me redo it, because the cats scattered it all again."

He scratched her behind her ear. She looked up at him and tried to smile. "But...I'm sure I just need to find something else he can do! Something that's easy to learn..."

Discord sighed. "Fluttershy, sweeping seems like one of the easiest possible tasks you could have given him," he said. "Honestly, if he can't grasp that...he probably shouldn't be volunteering at the sanctuary."

She rubbed her hooves together. "But I've never..._fired_ a volunteer before," she said quietly. "It just doesn't feel right to send someone away who _asked_ to work there, and without pay..."

"Fluttershy, I'm going to be blunt," Discord said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "From what you told me, he is a terrible volunteer. Having him at the sanctuary is leaving you tired and frustrated. He's clearly doing more harm than good."

"And think about it: if he was an employee acting like this in any other job, what would the employer do?"

Fluttershy glanced down. "...Fire him. Or send him to be retrained."

"Exactly! So why should he get away with this behavior?" he said. Fluttershy frowned, still looking down at the floor.

Discord sighed. "Look. He's not working this weekend, is he?" She shook her head. "Okay. Just take the weekend to think about it." He kissed the top of her forehead. "I don't want to pressure you, but it just kills me seeing you so frustrated and tired every day."

Slowly, she smiled and nestled into his side. "I will think about it," she said. "But...if I do end up choosing to do it...do you remember everything I said he did? So that there's a clear reason why I did it?"

"I've got you covered," he said, snapping his fingers and creating accounts of what she told him in the form of a newspaper, complete with a picture of her on the cover, looking frustrated with shadows under her eyes.

"Thank you," she said. "But for now, could we eat dinner and talk about something else?"

"Certainly!" Discord said, snapping them into the kitchen and creating plates of spaghetti in front of them. "You know, I was exploring Manehatten today, and I found a quaint little cafe!"

He rambled about the cafe he found where customers could interact with cats, Fluttershy hanging on his every word as she tried to eat her spaghetti without making too much of a mess. Discord was less careful, actually preferring to fling sauce over the table and himself.

After dinner, he brought out desert (bowls of ice cream), then suggested they go for a stroll through Chaosville's forest of cotton candy trees. She agreed, and they set out.

They paused at one point, while Discord looked up to watch a very distant supernova, quickly slapping sunglasses onto his and Fluttershy's faces. As he did so, she pressed her cheek against his hand, planting a soft kiss on his knuckles.

"Thank you, Discord," she said quietly. "I still need time to think about what you said, but...thank you for trying to make me happy."

He caressed her cheek, reaching up to run his fingers through her mane. "Anything for you, my dear sweet Fluttershy," he said.

She smiled up at him, then yawned cutely. "Ah, you must be tired," he said, scooping her into his arms. "Let's get you off to bed, shall we?"

She made an agreeing noise, curling close and snuggling into his chest. He smiled softly down at her before teleporting to their bedroom and tucking her in.

* * *

"Discord," Fluttershy said on Monday morning. "I think that you were right."

"Hmm?" he said, shoving another pancake down his gullet. His eyes widened. "Wait...right about Unlucky Clover?"

"Lucky Clover," she said. "And...you were right. He can't just keep getting away with this. He'll just need to find somewhere else to volunteer."

Discord clapped. "Bravo! Bravo!" He snapped up two party poppers and pulled on the strings, confetti flying everywhere. He whistled and cheered, still clapping.

Fluttershy turned away. "I...don't know if it's a good thing to cheer on me firing someone," she said quietly.

"It is when the stallion you're firing is a waste of space who's only volunteering success is stressing you out," Discord said. "Do you need any backup for when you send him away?" He snapped his fingers, and a police officer's uniform appeared on him.

She shook her head. "No, thank you. Although I wouldn't mind that paper of my statements..." He handed her the newspaper, carefully rolled up and tied together with red string.

"Thank you," she said, finishing the last bites of her pancakes. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to head to the sanctuary early today. I need to figure out how to redistribute work."

"Of course, my dear," he said, teleporting over to her and kissing her lightly on the lips and pressing a sack lunch into her hooves. He offered her his arm and escorted her to the front door, which made her giggle.

"Farewell!" he said, waving a white handkerchief as she flew into a nearby portal. "And good luck, my brave and wonderful Fluttershy!"

She smiled and waved back, before turning and flying deeper into the sanctuary. He sighed and tucked his handkerchief away, turning around and humming a merry tune as he skipped down the hallway.

"Goodbye, Unlucky Clover," he said, plucking petals off of a white clover flower. "Your days of stressing my sweet pegasus are over!"

* * *

Discord's ears perked up as soon as he heard the door open. He teleported to Fluttershy's side in a flash of light. "Welcome home!" he said, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "I made a vegetable stew for supper tonight, nice and hot!"

"Oh...that sounds nice," Fluttershy said softly.

He pulled away and tilted his head. Fluttershy seemed sad about something, and once again looked tired. "Fluttershy...did something happen today?" he asked, placing his paw on her shoulder.

She bit her lip and stared at the ground. "I couldn't do it, Discord," she said quietly. "I couldn't fire Lucky Clover."

He took her hooves gently in his hands, guiding her over to lay on the couch. He pulled up a nearby chair, and snapped a tweed jacket and grey beard on himself, with a notepad and pen in his hands. "What happened, exactly?" he said. "I'm guessing he didn't suddenly become a good worker."

She smiled a little at his getup, but turned away and looked at the ceiling with a sigh. "No, I...I overheard him talking with another volunteer before I got the chance to talk to him alone."

"He was talking about how...he needed to volunteer locally as a pretty big assignment for one of the classes. And then he said that there wasn't anywhere else that was open for more volunteers...he said that if he hadn't found the sanctuary job, he would have...been very close to failing the class."

She pressed a hoof against her forehead. "How am I supposed to fire someone who _needs_ to work there? Even if he's not great, he hasn't _hurt_ any creature. I felt like it would be petty to fire him, and the thought alone made me feel guilty." She wrapped her forelegs around herself and sighed. "So I just assigned him to the cat patio again, and reminded him to gather the dust he swept up and throw it away before he left."

"And how did that go?" Discord asked, making crude doodles of an evil stallion on his notepad.

"...He did clean up the piles," she said. "But he left some streaks of dust behind...and he forgot a few piles." She sighed. "And I hadn't noticed the first time that he missed sweeping a lot of corners..."

Discord chewed on the end of his pen. "I still don't think he should be working for you," he said. "But I can understand why you're having trouble. You're too pure-hearted for your own good, my love." He gently caressed her cheek.

Fluttershy leaned into his touch. "Well, as I said...he's not hurting any creature. Maybe I just need to pair him up with someone else to make sure he's doing his work properly..."

"I think he's hurting _you_," he said as he scratched behind her ear. "He's leaving you tired and stressed...and do you have enough volunteers to pair them up on what should be simple tasks?"

She sighed. "No...I don't," she said. "Can we please eat dinner now? I just...don't want to think about this right now."

"Right, of course," he said, snapping his fingers and teleporting them to the dinner table. He placed a bowl of hot vegetable soup in front of her, then after a moment's thought, he snapped his fingers and gave her a cinnamon roll, too. She quietly thanked him and slowly ate her soup.

He kept his eyes on her the entire time through the meal, even as he rambled about exploring undersea caves, up until she was finished and declined dessert, instead wanting to go to bed.

He tucked her in and massaged her shoulders gently until she drifted off to sleep. Once she was unconscious, he sighed and looked out the window. His attempts to distract her this time barely got a smile out of her, and she was so tired she had almost instantly passed out.

"This can't keep happening," he quietly. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I hope you'll forgive me for getting involved in this situation."

He snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

He crawled through the student's dorms in the form of a shadow, peeking into any and every room that housed stallions. Once he was sure none contained his prey, he left and went on to the next room.

He watched one potential candidate from the ceiling of his room—a light green unicorn stallion with dark green hair, with stripes of white in it. His eyes were baby blue, and his cutie mark was of a four-leaf clover. Currently, he was sitting on the edge of his bed, chatting with his changeling roommate.

"Today was great, Mandible!" he said. "I got another easy job at the sanctuary. I got done with it early, so I chilled around for a few minutes before I clocked out."

"Uh-huh," the purple changeling said. "Look, Clover—"

Discord's eyes gleamed, but Clover continued, "I'm so glad I found that position! I mean, I know I should have tried to get a volunteer position sooner, but I knew waiting wouldn't hurt." He leaned back against his forehooves, closing his eyes with a smirk. "Lucky isn't just my name, you know."

"Yeah, sure," Mandible said, pulling back the covers on his bed. "But Clover—"

"And I was talking to Raindrop about how it was lucky I got the job, and I think Miss Fluttershy overheard me! So that should be an extra layer of job security on an already-easy job!" Clover sighed. "Yep. Everything's coming up Clo—"

"Clover!" Mandile snapped. "Maybe you've had a good day, but _I_ just worked a long shift at a cafe, gave a group presentation, and spent two hours in a group study session." He jumped into his bed. "A study for the exam tomorrow that _I'd_ like to be well-rested for, and not just rely on dumb luck!"

"Oh, okay," Clover said. "I can just tell you the rest of my story at breakfast, then!"

"Sure," Mandible mumbled, wrapping himself in a cocoon. "I'm all ears to hear yet another story that involved you not taking much, if any, sort of action."

Clover laughed. "Oh, Mandible. I know it's just the long day that's made you a sourpuss." The changeling growled. "Good night, then!"

He used his magic to turn off the light, then used his magic to grab a nearby comic book on his desk and turn on a nearby lamp. Discord's eyes gleamed, and he shifted closer to his found prey.

When he was close enough, he snapped his fingers and teleported himself and Clover to an exact replica of the dorm room that he had made in his dimension. _Well...almost exact,_ Discord thought, resisting the urge to chuckle darkly. Clover's ears flicked, and he looked around for a second, confused, before shrugging and turning back to his book.

Discord moved to the center of the floor and flicked his tail. With a cold gust of wind, the lamp suddenly went dark. Clover looked up. "That's weird," he said. "I replaced its batteries last week." He attempted to turn it on again with his magic, but it only clicked uselessly.

"Huh," he said, jumping out of bed and walking towards his desk. Discord took that as his cue and growled softly, rising from the floor and letting a dark pool of shadow drip off of him onto the floor. Just in time, he remembered to make his eyes glow.

Clover whipped around, yelping as he looked up at the strange being towering over him. "W-w-who are you?" he said, his back legs shaking.

"I am the Spirit of Disharmony, the Chaotic Tyrant, the End of Peaceful Times," Discord growled, making sure to show off his fangs. "I am Discord...and you have earned my wrath, Unlucky Clover."

"A-actually, I'm _Lucky_ Clover," he stuttered. "Because I'm a very lucky pony, understand?"

Discord rolled his eyes and snorted a burst of fire from his nose. "Well, consider your luck used up," he said, lowering his head and glaring the stallion in the eyes. "I've heard that you've been working at Sweet Feathers Animal Sanctuary...and treating it as an easy job."

"Well, yeah," Clover said. "All the tasks I get are easy. I finish them in no time at all! I don't know why they asked for so many volunteers, but it's a lucky break for me."

"They're easy because you _don't do them properly_!" Discord roared, green fire bursting up behind him. "Let's review your work, shall we?" He reached forward with his eagle talon. Clover yelped and jumped away, running over to his roommate's bed.

"Mandible, wake up!" he cried, shaking his 'roommate'. "Discord's in here, and he's freaking me out! You have to help me!" He wrenched the blankets off of him—only to find a pile of fruit underneath, which all tumbled to the floor.

Discord grinned as Clover looked at him, panicked, then bolted towards the door. He threw it open, only to find a brick wall behind it. He whirled around, looking back at Discord with wide eyes. Discord helpfully pulled back the curtains on his window, showing that there was only a brick wall behind that, too.

"Now, are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" Discord said. Lucky Clover pressed himself against the brick wall, staring up at him with wide eyes.

"A-aren't you supposed to be good now?" he said, his legs trembling. "Y-you don't do stuff like this..."

Discord shrugged. "You've already gotten kindness," he said. "And that hasn't led anywhere. So now it's time for chaos to step in." He dove into his own shadow, then lunged back up at Clover's side, pressing his claw against the top of his head.

With a bit of magic, they were looking back on Clover's memories. "Ah, I know this one," Discord said as Fluttershy pointed to the filters around the lakes, handing a clipboard and pen to Clover. "You were supposed to check the water filters."

"And I did!" Clover said. Discord tutted and fast-forwarded through the memory, until he was done and handed the clipboard back to Fluttershy. She thanked him sweetly and set the clipboard aside, while Clover went to clock out.

"Let's get a new perspective, shall we?" Discord said. With a twirl of his finger, they started watching the day from Fluttershy's view instead. He fast-forwarded through it, until Fauna walked up with a clipboard, looking worried.

"Fluttershy, I thought you had someone check the water filters today," she said.

"I did," Fluttershy responded, guiding a sloth to a comfortable resting spot. "I thought it would be an easy task for a new volunteer."

Dr. Fauna sighed. "Well, they forgot to actually fill out the clipboard with the readings." She showed the blank form.

Fluttershy gasped, hooves flying to her mouth. "Oh, no! I'm so sorry, I should have checked it after he gave it to me!"

"It's not your fault," Dr. Fauna said. "If you want, I can check the filters again for you."

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask you to do that," Fluttershy said, taking the clipboard. "You've already done so much today. I should be the one to check the filters."

"Well...alright," Dr. Fauna said. "I'll see you on Wednesday, Fluttershy." She waved goodbye and walked back towards town, while Fluttershy sighed and started checking the filters, filling out the form.

"Let's move on and see what else has happened, shall we?" Discord said, holding up the newspaper of Fluttershy's venting. He went through the list one by one, first showing Clover's assigned task, then how Fluttershy or some other volunteer had to redo it for him after he had left. From failing to completely fill out forms on things he was meant to check, to not cleaning any area properly, he seemed to do each task as lazily as possible.

After watching the second cat patio incident, Discord snapped his fingers and pulled them out of the stream of memories. "Has it become clear yet?" he said, bending down to stare unblinkingly into Clover's eyes. "How you've caused so much stress and extra work for my—for Fluttershy?"

"I-I didn't know!" Clover said in a panic. "How was I supposed to know?"

"I imagine she said some sugar-coated words about how 'that position wasn't right for you'," Discord said. "Maybe she even explained why, but it went in one ear and out the other!" He growled and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "And how in the name of chaos do you not realize you have to fill out a form she hands you, or not know how to _sweep_!?"

Clover was shaking in his shoes. "I-it's not like there's anywhere else I can volunteer," he said. "The other positions all filled up—"

"Because you waited too long," Discord finished with a growl. "Oh, I've heard. That's why I've thought of three solutions, Unlucky Clover."

He held a finger up in the air. "One! You actually start doing some work around the sanctuary. You ask if work is done right before you clock out. You ask for clarification on tasks. You don't spend a single minute lazing around—if your work is 'done', talk to Fluttershy."

"Two! You quit working at the sanctuary. You accept that there are no other positions, and you fail the class with dignity, or find some other way to make up for the points you lost."

Discord grinned widely, showing off a wide array of fangs. "Or if you don't pick either of those, we default to option three: I find you a different volunteer position for your class—working for me." He widened his pupils, showing an image of Clover running after an impossible beast, trying to catch it, while Discord floated overhead, swirling a glass of chocolate milk in his paw.

"So, what's it going to be?" Discord said, blinking and turning his eyes back to normal.

"The first one, please," Clover squeaked.

"Good choice," Discord said. "But remember—if you don't follow through with that, option three is always open." He used his magic to make the shadows in the room pool towards him, even Clover being pulled into their darkness.

The stallion panicked, trying to light his horn and keep the shadows and bay as they splashed onto his sides, crawling up to his face. "I'll be watching, Unlucky Clover," Discord hissed, fading into the shadow, leaving behind only his glowing eyes and wide, fang-filled smile.

He snapped his tail feathers and teleported them both back to the real dorm room, putting Lucky Clover back in his bed, while he was once again just a shadow on the ceiling. Clover screamed and flared his horn, still fighting off shadows that had been left behind.

Mandible grunted and sat up in bed. "What is it? What?" he growled, head whipping around the room.

Clover opened his eyes. "D-discord!" he cried, head whipping around the room. "H-he was here...he said I had to do better at the sanctuary..." he shivered. "H-he was terrifying."

"Discord?" Mandible said. "The Prince of Kindness? The one who dropped in when his wife was substituting to give all of the students huge buckets of candy?"

Clover took a few deep breaths. "That's right...he's married to Fluttershy," he said, almost to himself. "Who runs the sanctuary..."

"I didn't hear anything. You must have had a nightmare," Mandible said. "A nightmare that might have some insight about doing better work, but still just a nightmare." He yawned. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to sleep."

"Yeah...just a nightmare," Clover said, expression softening into relief. "Good night, Mandible." The changeling grunted and rolled back up into his cocoon.

Clover sighed, opening his comic book back up. Discord snapped his fingers and appeared on the page he flipped to. "Get some rest," he said in a word bubble. "You're working at the sanctuary tomorrow, aren't you?"

Clover squeaked and tossed the comic away. Discord teleported back into the shadows of the ceiling as Clover carefully picked up the comic and looked at it. He gingerly set it on his desk, turning off his lamp and shifting under his covers.

Discord teleported back to his dimension, demolishing the dorm room replica before teleporting back into his own bedroom. "That should have set him straight," he said as he curled up against Fluttershy's sleeping form. "He shouldn't cause any more problems for you, dearest."

* * *

Discord glanced up at the clock hanging down from the ceiling. _Almost noon,_ he thought. He snapped up a picnic basket and started filling it with cucumber sandwiches, tucking in a steaming tea kettle at the last second.

Slinging the picnic basket into the crook of his arm, he snapped his fingers and teleported to the sanctuary, right next to Fluttershy. She jumped and looked up at him, smiling.

"Discord!" she said cheerfully. "What a surprise!" She flew up and threw her hooves around his neck, nuzzling his cheek.

"Hello, my sweet," he said, returning the nuzzle. "Do you have enough time to accompany your dearest darling husband on a lovely picnic?" He held the basket out to her.

She giggled and nodded. "Alright. Give me just one second. I want to make sure that Lucky Clover is doing okay."

Discord's eyes gleamed. "I think I'll accompany you. I'd like to know how he's doing myself." She tilted her head, but nodded and walked towards the food storage. Discord floated behind her.

In less than a minute, they reached the food storage near the lakes. Clover was inside, a clipboard held in his magic, and was staring at the shelves of food. "Hello, Lucky Clover," Fluttershy said. "How is everything going?"

"Pretty good," he said, glancing up. His face went blank when he saw Discord floating behind her. "D-d-d-d..."

"Is something the matter?" Fluttershy said.

"Perhaps he's trying to ask you how good _you_ think his job is," Discord said. "Am I right, Clover?"

Clover quickly nodded. "Oh, yes! Yes, that's—I just want to know if I'm actually doing this job well!"

She hummed and took the clipboard away from him. "Well...you're filling out the form, so you're good!" she said cheerfully. "Just remember to get as accurate of a count as possible. I don't want to have too much or too little of something."

"That's right," Discord said. "This might seem like a simple job, but not doing it properly could lead to some complications for everyone else. Capisce?"

Clover quickly nodded, taking the clipboard back. Fluttershy tilted her head and looked up at Discord. "But Discord, we have—"

He slung an arm over her shoulder. "_Any_way, with that done, would you like to go on the picnic now?" he said. She nodded slowly, and he snapped his fingers, teleporting them into a field of flowers.

As he whipped out the yellow and green picnic blanket, Fluttershy said, "Why didn't you let me tell him about the food storage at home? It might have made him less nervous about doing inventory."

"Dearest Fluttershy, do you really want to give him an excuse he could use to slack off on his job?" he said as he set everything up, patting the spot next to him. "Honestly, from what you told me, he seemed quite lazy."

She laid next to him, thanking him as he placed a teacup shaped like a flower into her hooves and filled it with tea. "It was strange, though," she said. "Normally, Lucky Clover would just take the job and get right to it, but today he asked me about what parts of the form he needed to fill out. And it looks like he's been doing his job properly today, even asking me how he's doing." She sipped her tea.

Discord slurped at his tea. "Well, I'm very glad that he's changed his ways," he said. "Hopefully he won't cause you any more stress."

She paused, then set down her teacup. "Discord, did you do something?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

He whistled and looked at the sky, twirling a puffy cloud in his magic. "I might have...visited him...to have a little chat," he said.

"And what was this chat about?" Fluttershy said, crossing her hooves.

He pursed his lips and mumbled, "About how he wasn't doing his job properly and how he needed to stop being such a hindrance to you."

"And what exactly happened during the chat?" Fluttershy asked. He laughed nervously, twiddling his fingers. She kept staring at him, so with a sigh, he snapped his fingers and cast an illusion over the two of them that let them see his memories from last night.

They watched the scene unfold, Discord quietly explaining parts of his magic to her, like how he transported Clover into a different dimension that just looked like his room, or how the shadows on him were just that—shadows, that wouldn't hurt him.

The scene paused with a click once Discord teleported back home, and he dismissed it, lowering his head. "I wasn't going to step in," he said. "But...you were so tired. I had to do something."

He jolted when he felt something soft on his cheek, and a weight pressed against his side. "I don't entirely approve of your methods," she said. "But...nothing you did was meant to, or even able to, harm him in any way. You just scared him."

"I considered just having a civil chat about what he was doing wrong," he said. Fluttershy lifted her head and raised an eyebrow. "For about half a second, anyway. I realized that the best way to get through to him was to make the lesson...memorable."

She smiled. "Well...he is working hard. So your method did work...even if he's frightened of you now."

He smiled. "So...I'm not in trouble?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Just...don't do it again, please? Or at least, tell me before you scare my volunteers."

He gave her a thumbs up and a grin, passing her a cucumber sandwich. "By the way," she asked as she took a bite, "Were you really going to make him volunteer for you if he didn't quit or actually work?"

"Eh, I would have found some nature clean-up group to foist him off on," Discord said, taking a large bite of his sandwich. "Some group with a lot of work to do, and no patience with slackers. The image I showed him was just a little something to spook him."

She smiled. "I'll try to be less lenient with my volunteers, so you don't have to do something like this again," she said, leaning against his side.

He brushed his fingers through her mane. "You do whatever's right, Flutter-nutters. It's your sanctuary." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm just here to support you every step of the way."

She smiled and closed her eyes. He laid his chin on top of her head, and they both ate their lunch, murmuring sweet things to each other until the picnic was done. He teleported them back to the sanctuary and kissed her on the cheek, bidding her goodbye as she went back to work.

He felt as though there was a gaze on his back, and turned around to see Lucky Clover, watching him from the trees. "Are you done with inventory?" he asked, making the unicorn jump. "If you are, Fluttershy's the one you wanna talk to. She went thataway." He pointed to where his wife had just run off.

Clover nodded. "T-thank you," he said, walking past him. He paused for a second, glancing over his shoulder. "You...really care about your wife, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Discord said immediately. "She means everything to me." He clamped his mouth shut, a pink blush on his face.

"So that's why..." Clover said, eyes becoming unfocused again. He blinked and snapped out of it. "Thank you. I really do like being here at the sanctuary. It's where a lot of my friends are."

"And you're going to work hard here, aren't you?" Discord said.

Clover grinned sheepishly, sweat forming on his forehead. "I'm going to try my best. I know I wasn't great before, but...I'm going to do better." Discord nodded in approval, and Clover ran off after Fluttershy.

Discord watched from afar for a few moments as Clover and Fluttershy discussed the form he had filled out. Seeing that Clover wasn't just running off, Discord nodded in approval again, snapping his fingers and teleporting away.


	40. Amusement Park Attraction

When Fluttershy woke up, Discord was already out of bed, bouncing on his heels and glancing over at her. As soon as she yawned and sat up, he lunged forward, tackling her back onto the bed. "Today's the day!" he said cheerfully, nuzzling his cheek against hers.

She giggled, returning the nuzzle. "You're excited, aren't you?" He nodded eagerly, snapping his fingers and creating a giant plate of chocolate chip waffles. He began to gobble them down rapidly, while Fluttershy ate hers at a calmer pace, glancing over at the clock. "You know, they probably aren't open yet," she said. "So you can slow down a bit."

He chugged a glass of chocolate milk and grabbed two more waffles. "Well, I still want to get ahead of the lines and crowds," he said. "Besides, I've been waiting all week for this! I can't just 'calm down'!"

She giggled, leaning against his side. "I'm glad you're happy," she said. "We should write Twilight a thank you letter for getting us the tickets."

"Mmmm, I suppose," he said with a shrug.

They made their way through the pile of waffles, Discord throwing the plate out of the room like a Frisbee once it was licked clean. Fluttershy hurried into the bathroom, brushing her mane and teeth, while Discord laid on the bed and flossed his teeth.

Once she was out, he teleported to her side, flinging a whole waffle out of his teeth and looping his claw around her foreleg. "Ready to go?" he asked. She nodded, and he snapped his fingers, teleporting them both away.

* * *

They reappeared in front of a large sign reading _Four Flags_. Underneath was a banner that read, _Equestria's newest and biggest amusement park—Opening Day Today!_ On each side of the sign were two flags each—one of a white and blue alicorn circling each other, one of a lone sun, one with half of a sun and a moon on a pinkish-purple fabric, and finally, a purple one with Twilight's cutie mark on it.

"Hmph," Discord said, crossing his arms. "No flag of _my_ time ruling Equestria, I see."

Fluttershy frowned. "I didn't know you had a flag..."

"Oh, no," he said. "That would have implied some sort of order." He sighed. "Though I might have still made one out of boredom if my reign hadn't been cut short both times." He looked forward, then groaned, flinging his head back to glare at the sky.

She followed where his gaze had been, and saw a long line of creatures crowding before the closed gates...and still more were joining as they stood by. "Oh my...we should probably join that line, quick!" she said, grabbing Discord's paw and flying forward.

He grumbled and crossed his arms, mumbling about not wanting to wait in line. "I know," she said, nuzzling his neck. "But we have to. Just think of how much fun we'll have today once we get inside."

He grumbled again, glaring at the closed gates. She sighed and shook her head.

* * *

Just a few minutes later, the gates opened, and the line began to move. Discord's mood vastly improved the closer they got to the front, until he was chatting excitedly with Fluttershy about all the rides he had heard rumors about. Their talking passed the time, and once they were at the front, their tickets were taken, and they were given maps and paper wristbands in return.

"Well, where to first?" Fluttershy asked as Discord opened up his map, while she scanned the front plaza they were in, with a beautiful fountain and carousel.

"I know exactly where I want to start!" Discord said, snapping his fingers and teleporting them. They reappeared in front of a tall metal roller coaster with a long line in front of it. The track was painted red and black, and the fast-moving carts were painted white and black. When they came to a stop, releasing their disoriented passengers, she realized they were designed to look like cartoonish pony skulls.

"The Shrieking Skullcoaster!" he said cheerfully, holding his arms as he presented it to Fluttershy. "Currently built to be the fastest coaster of Equestria!" He leaned forward to whisper to her, "Though I've made some faster ones before."

Fluttershy looked up at the tall, twisting metal track and gulped. "Y-you want to ride that?" she said weakly.

"Yeah!" Discord said, bouncing on his heels. "Look at it! Twists and turns and high, terrifying speeds, loops until you lose all sense of gravity, screams of terror filling the air!" The coaster rattled by, its occupants shrieking. A wide grin spread on Discord's face. "It's perfect!"

Fluttershy rubbed at her foreleg. "I don't know, Discord...it looks really scary."

He tore his eyes away from the coaster to look at her. "Would you rather start with a slower coaster?" he asked.

"I'm not sure if I want to go on any roller coasters," she said. "I've never been on one. They've always looked...too scary for me."

He gasped, then threw an arm around her shoulder. "Well, today's the day to try it out!" he said cheerfully. "I'll make you a deal, dearest Fluttershy. I will pick from the map a good roller coaster for beginners. I'll ride it with you, right by your side. If you like it, we'll carefully work our way through the coasters until we can ride the most exciting ones together."

"But what if I don't like it?" she said.

"Then I'll treat you to a giant chocolate milkshake, and we'll go on all the rides that aren't roller coasters." He began counting things off on his fingers. "There's the teacups, the Ferris wheel, all of the river rides..."

"But what about you? I know you're really excited about going on _all_ of the rides," she said, looking up at the screaming coaster of ponies. "I'd hate to keep you from enjoying the day."

He shrugged. "Oh, I'm sure I can squeeze in a few coaster rides in between the things we do together. Besides, I can make copies of these coasters at home whenever I like!" He snapped his fingers, and a miniature version of the Shrieking Skullcoaster appeared around his feet, complete with tiny pony dolls that squeaked like chew toys as the coaster went around the track.

He snapped his fingers and the replica disappeared. "But whatever happens, I will make sure we both have a fun day. I just want you to try something I like, to see if you'll like it to." He held his paw out to her. "Deal?"

She thought about it, then reached out and shook his paw. "Deal. What coaster do you want me to try?"

He hummed and pulled a folded park map from his ear. He unfurled it and snapped his fingers, making images of the rides rise from the paper. He narrowed his eyes at them, waving them all away one by one, until only one was left. "This one!" he declared, snapping his fingers.

They teleported in a flash of light, reappearing in front of a different roller coaster. This one had a blue metal track, with the carts painted a cheery yellow. This coast was closer to the ground, and though it had a few twists and turns, there were no loops.

"This seems like the perfect place to begin," Discord said, floating over to the line. "All we have to do is—ugh—wait." He landed at the end of the line and began tapping his foot impatiently.

Fluttershy came up to his side. "This line doesn't seem so bad," she said. "And while we're waiting, maybe we could figure out what we should do after this."

His face brightened at that, and he pulled the map back out, along with a handful of colorful markers. He flattened the map out on top of the air between them, pointing out attractions he thought were interesting, or that she might like. She pointed out a few places like the games boardwalk and the teacups ride, which he dutifully circled in marker, along with the things he had pointed out.

In just a few minutes, they were close to the front of the line. Fluttershy looked up at the coaster—especially the first tall climb. She gulped and shivered, shifting a little closer to Discord's side.

Discord had just crumpled up the map and tossed it down his gullet as she shifted towards him. He glanced down, looking down at her with a worried expression. "Are you okay?" he asked. "We could go on another ride first, or just not try a coaster today..."

She shook her head. "No...I said I would try this." She forced a smile on her face. "Who knows? Maybe it'll be fun!"

He looked doubtful, but all he did was sigh and place his paw on her head. "I'll be right next to you the whole time," he said, as they took a step forward, next to the measuring stick.

The unicorn attendant looked at their heights, nodded, and waved them on. Fluttershy's hooves shook a little as they climbed up the steps towards the coaster, but she made it. Discord placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her over to two empty adjacent seats. He took his seat, showing her how to pull the safety bar down in front of her.

She shivered as the seats continued to fill up under the watchful eyes of the attendants. "It'll be fine," Discord said. "Don't be afraid to hold onto me if you need to."

She smiled gratefully at him. Suddenly, the car jolted, and they began to move forward and up the first slope. She flinched and grabbed his paw. He held her hoof gently, giving her a reassuring squeeze just as they reached the very top of the slope.

Gravity took back control, and they plunged down. Fluttershy screamed.

* * *

On the table in front of one of the restaurants scattered through the park, Fluttershy slowly sipped on the large chocolate milkshake with whipped cream that was in front of her. She was still shaking, and Discord was running his fingers through her mane, staring down at a photo in his claw.

"I think we can safely say that roller coasters are not for you," he said, holding the photo a little closer to her. She glanced at it. It had been caught at a moment where she was clinging to Discord's torso, screaming, while Discord had an arm slung across her back, looking like he was trying to comfort her.

She hadn't seen when the camera had gone off, but she was pretty sure that moment summed up how that whole ride had felt for her.

"Sorry I ruined the ride for you," she said glumly, taking another sip of her shake and trying to stop her nerves from shaking.

He stared at her, wide-eyed. "Sweetheart...going on that ride was for _you_ to see if you like roller coasters! It didn't matter whether I enjoyed it or not!" He patted the top of her head. "No more roller coasters for you today! Just take as long as you need to calm your nerves, and then we can go on a ride that isn't quite as..." He twirled his paw in the air, searching for the right word.

"Terrifying?" she suggested.

He paused, mouth turning into a squiggly line. "...Okay, that's accurate." He held up the photo. "I'm sending this home. I think this is scrapbook material!"

She groaned and buried her face in her hooves. "What?" he said, sending the photo through a portal. "There's plenty of embarrassing photos of me in there. Let's even the scales a little!"

She giggled. "I suppose you're right." She took another sip of her shake. "It might take a while for me to finish this. Maybe...you could go on a few coasters while I finish this?"

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I'd hate to leave you bored...this trip is supposed to be fun for both of us."

She pulled the map on the table closer to her. "Look, here...there's a duck pond and petting zoo," she said, tapping at the place. "I can wait there while you go on the coasters. That way, we can both do something we enjoy, then meet up after and do more things together."

"That does sound like a good idea," he said. "And I can check on you in between rides...and send a clone to wait for me in line..." He nodded. "Alright. I'll teleport us over there!" He tapped twice on the petting zoo on the map, and with a loud clicking sound, they vanished in a flash of light.

They reappeared on a bench right at the edge of the duck pond. "Let's see..." Discord said, looking at the map. He snapped his fingers, and Fluttershy looked around to see what had happened. "I sent a clone to wait in line for me," he explained. "That way, I can spend the boring time I would be waiting in line with you, instead!" He booped her nose.

She giggled, pushing his claw away. "Aren't you worried that the...you in line will be bored?"

He shrugged. "Oh, I can always find some way to entertain myself." He snapped his fingers and created a handful of brown pellets in his paw. "Now, would you like to feed the ducks?"

She smiled widely, her eyes glittering, as she took a pinch of the food and tossed it out into the pond.

* * *

It took her about twenty minutes to finish her shake. To be fair, she hadn't been drinking it the whole time, distracted by the cute ducks and animals in the petting zoo, as well as Discord's antics, between him going on coaster rides. And she had felt calm just a minute after seeing the ducks...but Discord was having so much fun, she decided to wait until her shake was done.

As soon as her shake was finished, Discord got onto his feet and pulled the map back out. "Well, I've satisfied my coaster quota for the day," he said. "Thank you for that, my dear. Now, let's figure out a ride that you _would_ enjoy."

They poured over the map together. All of the coasters were scratched out, which was most of the rides. Anything involving heights was scratched out, so that eliminated quite a few more. "So, that leaves the teacups, all of the river and log rides, and...how do you feel about the swing ride?"

He snapped his fingers and teleported them over to the ride in question. Ponies and other creatures sat in swings that were being swung rapidly through the air, high above the ground. "No, I...I don't think so," she said with a gulp. "Maybe if I could sit with you..."

He nodded, a light blush on his cheeks as he drew a big red X through the swing ride. "Haunted houses are out...are fun houses in?" he asked. "Most of them are just mazes with mirrors."

She nodded. "Those do sound pretty fun." She glanced over at the map, and saw how much red ink there was on it. "Oh, dear. I hope I'm not taking all the fun out of this for you..." she wrung her hooves together.

He scoffed. "Please. I can make much more exciting rides anytime I want to. Besides, I've already gone on plenty of coasters. And don't forget...this trip is supposed to be fun for you, too." He noticed that she was still looking worriedly at the map. "Don't worry too much about it. Amusement park rides aren't for everypony. Besides, look," he pointed to the pathways. "There are booths along the walkways with fun games, and restaurants! It's not all about the rides."

"I suppose you're right," she said.

"Of course I am," he said, placing his paw to his chest with a smug grin. "Now, enough talk. Let's go on the teacups!" She nodded, and he snapped his fingers, teleporting them away.

* * *

Time passed quickly, as she and Discord went on rides like the teacups and the log ride over and over, Discord making his clones wait in line with their own small games or books to pass the time so that he and Fluttershy could just focus on having fun.

And she really was having fun, smiling and laughing so much her cheeks and stomach were starting to hurt. And what made it even better was that Discord looked like he was having just as much fun as her, a wide grin on his face with each ride they went on.

Right now, they were sitting on a bench near the log ride's exit, toweling themselves off. "That just as fun the fifth time," Discord said. "Want to try it a sixth?"

Her stomach growled before she could answer, and she blushed. "Well...maybe we should get some food first," she said. "And after that...could we take a look at some of the booths?"

He clapped his hands and grinned. "Oh, I'd love to get food! Do you know what we're going to get?" She shook her head. "Greasy, unhealthy, overpriced food!" he said cheerfully, whipping out the map. "Now, what sort of grease would you like?" he said. "We could also go the other route and get something sweet, but also overpriced."

"Is there anything...healthy and reasonably priced?" she asked, peering over his shoulder. He grinned and shook his head.

"Don't sweat it too much, we can eat some veggies tomorrow," he said. "Now...how does a hayburger sound?"

"Well...it has been a while since we've had fast food," she said. "It might be nice." He snapped his fingers, and they were teleported to a small building with the sign above reading _The Hearty Hayburger_.

"I'll get the food," he said. "The 'Hearty' in the name is either referring to the heart attacks from the grease or the heart attacks from the prices." He pulled out a large coin purse and marched through the doors. Fluttershy looked around, then flew over and took a seat at one of the outside tables.

Discord came back a few minutes later with a tray in his hands—two hayburgers, two containers of fries, and two soda cups. "I present you with—lunch!" he said, holding the tray out to her. She took one of the burgers, which sagged limply and dripped grease onto the table. She winced, then took a bite out of it.

"It...almost tastes good," she said, swallowing. He held a soda cup out to her, which she took a sip of. It was a combination of orange soda, lemon-lime soda, and a hint of cherry. "This is pretty good," she said, taking another sip.

"I thought you'd like it," he said, taking a large bite out of his own burger. "Myself, I went for a little bit of everything—orange, grape, lemon-lime, cherry, vanilla, and chocolate." He swallowed and frowned down at the burger. "You're right about the burger, though. Maybe it just needs some condiments."

He snapped his fingers, and bottles of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise appeared in the center of the table. He grabbed the bottles and poured the contents onto the burger until it was a dripping mess, while Fluttershy just added a little bit of ketchup to hers before taking another bite.

"Better," she said. Discord took a large bite of his, grease and ketchup dripping down his chin. He nodded in agreement.

Lunch was a quiet, if messy, affair. Discord's mouth and hands were absolutely coated with grease and condiments by the time he finished his fries, and though Fluttershy had fewer condiments, she had just as much grease covering her.

Discord wiped at her lips with a silk handkerchief, placing another in her hooves as he tried to wring the grease out of his beard. "Well, as far as meals go, I've had better-tasting ones," he said. "But you know? There's just something enjoyable about fast food."

Fluttershy patted her stomach, slurping down the rest of her soda. "At least it was filling," she said, handing the soaked handkerchief back to Discord.

"Too full for dessert?" he asked, pointing behind her with a grin. She turned and saw a cotton candy stand on the other side of the walkway. She looked back and saw that he had a wide grin on his face.

"Well...that does sound nice," she said. He cheered and flew past her, skidding to a halt at the end of the line. She sighed and shook her head with a smile, stacking their trash on the tray and discarding it before trotting over and meeting up with Discord.

* * *

A few minutes of waiting in line, and then another few minutes of Discord wanting more and more spun sugar for his cotton candy, resulted in the two of them carrying large bulks of cotton candy on tiny paper sticks.

It was almost too bulky for her, but he used a little magic so that it was perfectly balanced in her hooves. He then offered to take some from her if it was too much, to which she giggled and shoved him playfully. They started walking down the path, glancing over at the colorful stalls, Discord guiding her through, since the cotton candy blocked most of her sight.

She made surprisingly quick work of her cotton candy (though she was sure Discord had been helping himself to bites of it). Occasionally, they stopped to watch a show or two that was being put on, before turning and continuing down the path.

Eventually, she was full, and handed the cotton candy to Discord. He smiled widely, molding it onto his own, and continued down the path. She smiled, trotting to keep up with him as he took large bites out of his dessert.

As they walked through the colorful stalls, something caught her eye. She turned to look closer. It was a simple game stand, where the challenge was to knock over bottles with a ball. But what caught her eye was the displayed prize—a jackalope plushie.

"What's wrong?" Discord said, walking backward back to her side. She jumped and looked up at him.

"Sorry, I just..." she looked back at the stand. "That's a really cute plushie."

He took another bite out of his cotton candy. "Well, if you like it so much, let's go get it!" he said, pulling out a coin purse and marching towards the stand, Fluttershy following close behind.

Two familiar yellow unicorn stallions grinned and greeted them. "Flim and Flam?" Fluttershy said, tilting her head. "Why are you here?"

Flim chuckled. "Why, we're here to promote our resort, of course!" He pointed to the title of the booth: _Bottle Knockdown, Sponsered by Flim and Flam's Las Pegasus Resort._

"And promoting our new, upcoming product!" Flam added, holding out a jackalope plushie. "Knock down a tower of bottles and win the all-new 'Flim-Flam Fuzzy Plushie'!"

"One try is five bits," Flim said, holding out his hoof.

Discord poured five bits into his hands. "Wait," Fluttershy said. "Why don't we both give it a try? It does look fun."

"Sorry!" Flam said. "There's only one bottle tower, so we can only allow one thrower at a time."

"You go first, my dear," Discord said, handing the bits to her. She smiled and placed the bits into Flim and Flam's outstretched hooves, and they gave her a small ball in return.

She carefully placed the ball in her tail, tossing it up and down a few times to get a feel for its weight. Discord stepped aside and watched, Flim and Flam stepping to opposite sides of their booth and gesturing to the pyramid of glass bottles in the back.

With a deep breath, Fluttershy cracked her tail, sending the ball flying towards the bottle tower. It struck the bottle in the bottom center dead-on, and the tower wobbled, leaning back a bit...but stayed upright as the ball fell to the ground.

Flim wiped sweat off of his forehead. Flam said, "Sorry miss. Better luck next time."

"Hmmm," Discord said, whipping out a magnifying glass and peering at the bottles. The one Fluttershy had hit had a crack in it...and there was a clear, almost invisible substance between all of the bottles, and between the bottles and the table. "I'd like to give it a try!" Discord said, tossing his five bits at the two of them.

They handed him the ball, which he tossed back and forth between his hands, charging up his magic. He reared back exaggeratedly and flung the ball towards the tower with great force, a fireball forming around the ball as it surged forward, blowing back the manes of the Flim Flam brothers.

Unfortunately, the ball didn't come anywhere near the tower, tearing a hole in the booth about a foot away from it. Flam gasped and ran out the booth after it, as it still flew through the air as a fireball, while Flim stuttered, "G-g-good try! Better luck next time, sir!"

Discord growled and turned away. "It's okay," Fluttershy said, hugging his arm. "You can always make me one, or I can knit one for myself. We don't have to win."

"But...it's the principle of the thing," Discord said. In a hushed whisper, he added, "They're scamming us. They glued the bottles to the table so they can't be knocked over. I'll be barbequed if I'm going to be out-conned by these guys."

She gasped, glancing over as Flam came back with the ball in his magic grip, panting and covered with sweat. "Well...let's try it one last time, then. Together," she said.

He blinked. "That's right...if we combine my magic with your throwing accuracy, we should be able to knock it over!" He pulled out five more bits and tossed them at the stallions. "One more try, fellas!"

Their eyes glinted gold as they scooped up the bits, tossing the ball in their direction. Discord tossed it back and forth between his hands, snapping his tail feathers a few times to add a bit of magic. "Careful," he said as he handed it to Fluttershy. "It's going to rocket off as soon as you toss it."

She nodded and carefully tucked it into her tail, shifting a little (but not tossing it) as she prepared herself. She turned and whipped her tail towards the bottles...and it rocketed forward in a fireball, directly hitting the bottom center bottle.

The bottle shattered, leading to a chain effect where the bottles on top fell down, also shattering on impact. The heat from the fireball melted the glue, which poured down the sides of the bottles as they toppled over onto the ground. "Knocked over!" Discord cheered. "Prize, if you please."

Flim grabbed one of the plushies in his magic, quickly handing it to Fluttershy. The crowd murmured, their attention drawn to the booth. "Er, Flim," Flam stuttered. "I think we may have gotten a bit more attention than we wanted."

"Well, we have more bottles," Flim said, pulling some more out from underneath the booth. "And they just proved this is winnable, so how is some attention bad?"

Flam pointed to a mare in a blue uniform who was marching towards them, a glare on her face. "Hey!" she said. "I thought my supervisor told you two that you weren't allowed to set up a booth!"

Flim and Flam jumped to her hooves. "Well, that's our cue to go!" they said together, grabbing the plushies, bottles, and sign in their magic before dashing off, the uniformed mare dashing after them.

"Well," Discord said, slurping on a soda. "That was exciting. Are you happy with your prize, dear?"

"Oh, yes," she said, snuggling into it. "It's so cute and soft!" There was a tearing sound, and one of the antlers fell off of the jackalope and onto the ground.

Discord paused and picked it up, using a magnifying glass to peer at it and the base of the other antler. "Those cheapskates," he sighed. "The stitching on these is awful. In fact, I think they just _glued_ it together in most places." He tossed away the magnifying glass and shook his head. "It's probably going to fall apart before we even leave the park."

"Oh..." she said quietly, looking sadly down at her prize. "And I thought it looked good, for one of their products..."

He patted her on the head. "Don't worry," he said. "With a little magic, fixing this fellow is a snap!" He snapped his fingers, and silver needles appeared in the air, diving in and out of the plushie with brown thread trailing behind them. The fallen antler levitated off of the ground, and another needle began sewing at its base.

Moments later, the threads tightened and knotted themselves, and the needles disappeared in a flash of magic. "There you go," Discord said. "One _properly stitched_ jackalope plushie for my darling Fluttershy!"

She smiled up at him. "Thank you, Discord," she said, flying up to kiss him on the cheek. "Now, why don't we see if there are any other good prizes here?"

"A fantastic idea, my dear!" he said, floating down the row of stalls. She smiled and trotted forward, staying by his side.

* * *

After winning a few more plushes and toys from booths, though none were as rigged as the Flim-Flam brothers' booth, they explored a few of the fun houses, including the House of Mirrors. Discord seemed to already know how to get out of the mazes—there was just that look in his eye—but he let her take the lead in guiding them both to freedom.

After that, and a few times riding the carousel, Discord's stomach began growling and rudely demanding food. He snapped his fingers, and they teleported to an ice cream parlor. "I know it's not much better than grease," he said. "But doesn't ice cream for dinner sound nice?" When he saw her unsure expression, he added, "C'mon, we can eat healthy tomorrow."

She paused. "Oh, okay," she said finally. "It'll probably be less messy than those burgers, at least." He smiled and grinned, then slid forward and into the line.

"Wait there, sweetie!" he said. "I'll get you something good!" She smiled and found a bench to sit on. A few minutes later, he floated back, with a plastic tub with two scoops of ice cream and a banana in his paw, and a plastic cup with a brown and green mixture in his claw, each with a pink plastic spoon stuck in them.

"A banana split with vanilla and strawberry ice cream for you," he said, placing the plastic tub in her hooves. "And a mint ice cream sundae with chocolate syrup and brownie bites for me." He took his seat next to her, clasping onto the plastic cup.

"Thank you, Discord," she said, taking a bite of her ice cream. She smiled. "This is delicious." He smiled and took a large bite of his own.

They enjoyed their ice cream without much conversation, Fluttershy leaning against Discord and letting her eyes drift closed with a soft yawn. Soon, they had polished off their ice creams, and Discord crushed their containers into a round ball and lobbed them towards the nearest recycling bin, which was across the pathway. It rolled around the rim twice before finally falling down.

"Now, how about dessert?" he said with a grin.

Fluttershy giggled and shook her head. "We just had ice cream!"

He smirked, holding his fingers up to snap. "Well, I think you'll like this flavor," he said, snapping his fingers. Single-scoop ice cream cones appeared in their grips, hers pink and his striped purple and orange. She took a small lick of hers and smiled.

"Strawberries and cream," she said. "I do like this flavor." He grinned, nibbling at his own ice cream.

"And I enjoy my orange and grape swirl," he said. "Why don't we take a walk while we enjoy these?" She nodded, and they both hopped off the bench and headed down the pathway.

They remarked on a few things as they passed by, Discord taking note of a few rides and games that looked interesting to him, while Fluttershy noticed prizes and crafts being sold. At one point, Discord stopped in place between two rides and pointed the horizon out to her.

The sun was setting, painting the edge of the horizon hues of red and orange. "It's beautiful," she said, stepping closer to him. He nodded, his tongue still stuck to his ice cream, and placed his paw on top of her head.

The loudspeaker near them crackled to life. "_Attention, all guests. The park will be closing in half an hour. Please choose your final ride to go on, and prepare to leave the park._" Discord flinched, almost dropping his ice cream cone.

"Shoot, I lost track of time!" he said, grabbing her hoof. "We have to hurry!" Before she could even ask him what he was talking about, he had snapped his tail feathers and teleported them.

She blinked spots out of her eyes as Discord rushed forward, carrying her under his arm. "Is it closed? Are we too late?" he asked the griffon attendant in front of them.

The young griffon blinked in shock, then shook her head. "Actually, you're just in time." She gestured past her. "Get on! The view from the top is beautiful at sunset."

Discord quickly thanked her and hurried forward, while Fluttershy took the opportunity to see where they were. Discord had brought them to the Ferris wheel, with white cars painted with rainbow stripes.

Discord entered the car in front of them, setting Fluttershy gently down on the seat next to him and handing back her ice cream cone. She flinched when the car creaked and began to move upwards, shifting closer to Discord.

"Sorry about that," he said. "I just...wanted to bring you with me on this Ferris wheel." He gestured outside the car, where the park and its glittering attractions were growing smaller and smaller. "It's a wonderful view, if a bit high up, and it's the perfect way to finish off a date."

She kept one forearm wrapped around his arm, but leaned over to peer out at the park. As they climbed higher and higher, she could see more and more of the park, which was being covered in an orange glow. "It's lovely," she said, leaning back against him and staring out at the view, nibbling on the last bits of her cone.

The rest of the ride passed in a blur, though she clearly remembered the ride coming to a stop, and Discord scooping her up in his arms and carrying her off. "Sorry...did I fall asleep?" she asked.

"You dozed off. We did do a lot today, didn't we?" he said. "I can't blame you for being tired."

She smiled up at him. "I had fun, though."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "So did I, Fluttershy. So did I." He adjusted his grip on her and snapped his tail feathers, teleporting them back home.


	41. Birthday Bash

Fluttershy yawned, stretching out her forelegs. With a sleepy mumble, she shifted closer to her husband's side of the bed. All she found were cold sheets. She frowned, reaching forward with a hoof to search for Discord's warm fur. She found nothing.

With a sigh, she sat up and stretched, climbing out of bed and walking into the hallway. She went towards the "random" closet, where Discord shoved odds and ends that he didn't feel like putting anywhere else. She heard a rustling sound behind the door.

She opened it, and Discord froze, hands deep in a pile of scarves and paper, staring at her with wide eyes. "Are you still searching?" she said with a smile, leaning against the doorframe.

Discord stood up, shaking some clinging fabric off of his hand. "Of course not," he huffed. "I will have you know I am the pinnacle of patience. I can stand to wait a few more days before finding out what my birthday gifts are."

She rose an eyebrow, and he rubbed at the back of his head. "...was I close?" he said with a sheepish grin.

She giggled, bringing a hoof to her mouth. "Oh, Discord," she said. "I can't tell you. You're just going to have to wait a few more days."

He groaned, plopping his head on her shoulder. "Can't you give it to me early?" he said. "I mean, the others will give me gifts on my birthday, right? What's wrong with getting one little present early?"

She brushed her hoof through his mane. "Discord, you'll get it in three days, along with whatever the others get you."

He grunted, burying his muzzle into the crook of her neck. "It seems like a long time to wait...can't I just pick an earlier day to celebrate?"

She kissed his head. "You know you can't just pick and choose when your birthday is each year. And you seemed very adamant that the day you picked was your birthday."

"Of course!" he said, pulling away and standing up on his feet. "That was the day you befriended me and changed me for the better. If you think about it, it is my birthday." He shrugged. "I mean, I can't remember the actual date I was born, and I'm pretty sure no one else does, either."

She leaned against his side. "It's a bit sad you don't remember the real date...but I'm glad you still get to celebrate your birthday."

He scratched behind her ear. "And I'm sure you're planning something with the rest of our friends, aren't you?"

"Maybe," she said, avoiding his eyes.

"Don't worry," he said. "There's some sandstorms near Saddle Arabia that I'm going to check out." He snapped his fingers and made a surfboard under his arm. He winked. "So you can plan all you want—I won't snoop, crusader's honor!"

She smiled. "Alright. But before you head off, let's eat some breakfast." He nodded, tossing the surfboard aside and snapping his fingers, teleporting them both to the kitchen.

* * *

"You can still come, right?" Fluttershy asked Twilight anxiously through the mirror. It was a special mirror in a set of two designed by Discord. The one she was using, the one in their bedroom, had an amethyst sparkle at the top, matching Twilight's cutie mark. The other, which was in Twilight's room the last time she checked, had a butterfly inside of a spiral at the top.

Twilight smiled softly. "Of course. I wouldn't want to miss the birthday party of one of my best friends...even if he is the most frustrating being in the universe."

"That's good," Fluttershy said. "And you remember the plan, right? The time and place we're meeting?"

Twilight nodded. "I wouldn't forget a schedule."

"Oh, r-right," Fluttershy said, glancing away with a blush. "Sorry. I just...really want this to go well."

"It will," Twilight said. "Just like last year, and the year before that. Everything will be fine, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy took a deep breath, then looked up with a smile. "You're right!" she said. "I'd love to chat more, but I need to go talk to everyone else. I'll see you in a few days."

"I should get back to work, too," Twilight said. "I'll see you then. Goodbye, Fluttershy!" They both waved to each other, and the image of Twilight faded back into Fluttershy's reflection.

"Alright," Fluttershy said to herself. "Twilight's right. This is going to be fine." She headed out the door and flew out of the house, going through one of the sanctuary portals and flying towards Sweet Apple Acres.

* * *

Fluttershy entered the barn and found Applejack hard at work, rolling barrels of cider to a wagon. "Applejack?" she said. "Is this a bad time?"

Applejack looked up. "Nah. Just getting some cider ready to ship out. Anything I can help you with?"

"I was hoping to ask you for a little help setting up Discord's birthday party," Fluttershy said. "Can we use one of the cider barrels?"

"Sure thing, sugarcube," Applejack said. "I'll put it on your tab—with the friends and family discount, of course. Is there anything else I can help out with?"

Fluttershy rubbed her forehooves together. "Applejack, I know this is a weird question, but...do you have any bruised apples?" she asked.

Applejack looked up from the barrel of cider she was rolling. "Those are his favorite, aren't they?" she said. "I don't have any right now, but I'll try to remember to save some. Okay, sugarcube?"

Fluttershy nodded. "I'm sure he'd be very happy if they were one of the snacks at his party."

Applejack nodded. "You can count on me, Fluttershy. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to finish getting these barrels ready for moving. Don't worry. I'll save one for his party."

"Thank you, Applejack," Fluttershy said, turning and heading out of the barn.

* * *

At the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash landed in front of her, blocking her path. "Fluttershy!" she said. "I can't figure out what to get Discord!"

Fluttershy tilted her head. "I thought you said you had some ideas already."

"Yeah, but...they're not Discord-y enough," she groaned. "And I need to bring a really good gift! I can't do anything for the party preparations except help put everything up, so I need to make it up to Discord by bringing an _awesome_ gift!"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll like whatever you get him," Fluttershy said. "I see him using those novelty mugs you give him a lot...and he stored your scented candles in the memory museum, so they must be important to him."

Rainbow groaned, dragging her hooves down her face. "I can't just keep giving him 'cool stuff'," she said. "I need to get something that's perfect for Discord. But how am I supposed to get something perfect for someone who can make anything they want?"

Fluttershy stepped forward, leaning in close. "Actually, he's very sentimental," she said quietly. "If you get something that connects the two of you, he'll adore it. So think—what do you both have in common?"

Rainbow tapped a hoof to her chin. "Well...I know I've made tornados before for him to wrangle when we hang out, and he's enjoyed that," she said. "But we'd have to be pretty distant from a lot of places for me to feel safe letting him play with a tornado. And it doesn't make the best surprise gift since it takes time to whip up. I know he hates waiting."

"What about Ogres and Obletties?" Fluttershy said.

Rainbow frowned. "It's a fun game, but he knows and plays more than me. Anything I get is probably something he already has." She scuffed her hoof on the ground. "And Spike's probably going to get him something for the game anyway. I don't want to step on his claws."

She frowned. "We've both played buckball...but he was clearly just doing it for you. I don't think he's that into the game."

Rainbow's brow was furrowed, and she seemed quite stumped. "You both like pranking, right?" Fluttershy said. "I'm not suggesting that you prank him on his birthday, but..."

Rainbow's eyes light up. "That's actually a good idea!" She hovered into the air. "I've gotta get some stuff together!" She turned, and was about to fly off, but glanced back over her shoulder at Fluttershy. "Do you really think he'll like whatever I get him?" she said.

Fluttershy nodded. "I'm sure of it." Rainbow grinned and took off. Fluttershy smiled and continued down the path into town.

* * *

Fluttershy stepped into Sugarcube Corner. Pound Cake called out from behind the counter, "Mrs. Fluttershy! Are you here to see Pinkie Pie? She's in the kitchen." He opened the side door beside the counter for her, and Fluttershy thanked him and walked inside, quickly ducking into the kitchen.

Pinkie Pie was busy mixing something in a bowl. "Hi Fluttershy!" she said, pouring the contents into a pan and shoving it into the oven with one quick motion. "Are you here to talk about the p-a-r-t-y?"

Fluttershy smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, Pinkie. He said he was busy today, so he's not going to be listening."

"Phew!" Pinkie said, leaning against the counter and wiping her forehead. "Good, because it's hard to get things ready while hiding what the things are getting ready for!" She pulled out a paper list from her mane. "Okay, so we've decided on the decorations, the party games, and the location. All that's left is the food!"

Fluttershy brought out a paper with a drawing on it. "I already put some thought into what kind of cake Discord would like," she said.

"I thought last year's worked fine," Pinkie said. "Mint ice cream cake with rainbow frosting and chocolate sprinkles!" She licked her lips.

"Well, I think it'll be better if we don't repeat it," Fluttershy said, flattening the paper out. "He's not a big fan of repetition."

The drawing was of a three-tier cake, each tier a different pattern. Arrows pointed from the writing in the margins to the drawing itself. "If it's not too much trouble, I thought three tiers with different flavors and patterns might be good."

She pointed to each tier, starting with the one on the bottom. "Chocolate, coconut, and cotton candy all sounded like nice flavors," she said. "The patterns were just a few of my ideas. You can go with something else if you want, but I still think they should all be different."

Pinkie grabbed the paper and held it close to her face, eyes darting across it. "Tie-dye, plaid, and polka dot frosting?" she said. "I can pull all those off, no sweat! And those flavors? A piece of cake!"

She held up a slice of chocolate cake and shoved it into her mouth, swallowing it in one gulp. Fluttershy giggled. "I'm glad it's not a problem. Applejack's already providing some cider to drink and bruised apples for snacks." She rubbed her forehooves together. "You wouldn't mind making some snacks for everyone else, would you?"

"Of course not!" Pinkie said. "I'll make sure that Discord will still like them, though."

"And...do you need any more help making the decorations? Or the party games?" Fluttershy said.

Pinkie shook her head. "They're all done! Cheese and I finished the banner last night. Thanks again for all of the ideas, and for lending a hoof when you could!"

Fluttershy smiled and blushed. "I really do appreciate all your help, Pinkie. And I'm sure Discord will love what you've made." She waved goodbye as Pinkie started grabbing bowls, and walked down the path to Carousel Boutique.

* * *

"Thank you again for helping me, Rarity," Fluttershy said as Rarity put a few more pins in the outfit she was wearing. "I think if I had done this at home, he would have found it already."

Rarity hummed, narrowing her eyes and inspecting the cloth. "Yes, well. I can't promise that he won't find it if he comes here, but I'm more than willing to hold onto it until you've finished." She set down her pincushion. "How is it going, by the way?"

"I'm almost done," Fluttershy said as Rarity helped her take off the outfit. "I just have to finish a few small things. What about you?"

Rarity carefully folded the outfit and set it in a box. "Oh, I just need to make some small adjustments before it's finished," she said. "I just hope it's okay that the gift isn't only for him."

"I'm sure he'll love it," Fluttershy said. "If you don't need me for anything else, I'll just go into the back room."

"Of course, darling," Rarity said. "Good luck!"

Fluttershy smiled and entered the room, turning on the light as she did so. In front of her was a canvas, with a nearly-finished painting. She picked up her brush and paint and began to add the finishing touches to the picture.

* * *

Fluttershy was nudged awake by something. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the fluttering calendar above her. It used one of its flaps to point at the current date, where a colorful cake had been drawn, with Discord's face beside it.

"Thank you," she whispered to it. It gave her a salute and flew away. She moved to crawl out of bed.

Before she could get far, a paw wrapped around her waist. "Fluttershy..." Discord mumbled.

She turned back and kissed him on the cheek, peeling his paw away from her. "I'll be back," she said. "Just rest." He grumbled sleepily.

She crawled out of bed, rushing to the door that led to her cottage. She opened it and stepped into her living room, which was quite dark, with only the barest amount of sunlight illuminating it. Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow, Starlight, and even Spike and Twilight were there. All but Applejack and Pinkie were yawning and looking at her with sleepy eyes.

"He's still asleep," she said. "Quickly!" She held the door open and let them through. She led them down the hallway to a room that was filled with sofas and small tables of different colors and styles.

"He's saved the furniture from our tea parties... or copies of them," Fluttershy told them. "I think it's a good place to set up."

Pinkie had already moved forward and plopped a large cake on one of the tables. "I think it's great!" she said, pulling a present out of her mane and tossing it onto another table. "It just needs a little more decoration!"

She rushed around the room in a pink blur, hanging up a banner and tying balloons on the sofas. "I'll bring Discord here as soon as I can," Fluttershy said. "I'm going to make him breakfast. Are you all good until then?"

They all nodded, and Applejack brought out apple strudels and handed them to everyone. Pinkie tossed breakfast bars in their direction. Fluttershy smiled and walked out the door, heading towards the kitchen.

* * *

Fluttershy carefully opened the bedroom door and peeked inside. Discord was lying on his side, holding one of her pillows against his chest. She smiled and stepped inside, sitting down on the bed next to him and stroking his cheek with a hoof.

His eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened. "Good morning," she said. "Happy birthday."

He smiled, then sat up and stretched with a yawn. "Good morning," he said. "I see you're carrying a tray. Is that for me, or are you just going to eat it all yourself?"

She giggled and set the tray on his lap. It had a pile of chocolate chip pancakes with a sparkler stuck on top and a tall glass of chocolate milk with a paper umbrella.

"I thought it would be nice to make you breakfast in bed," she said. "Sorry it's a little light. I thought it might be nice to have some tea together this morning."

"That sounds positively lovely," Discord said, tucking into his pancakes. He glanced over at her and snapped his fingers, creating a similar tray of food for her, minus the sparkler in the pancakes.

"Oh, thank you," she said, digging into her own pancakes. They soon finished both of their breakfasts, and Discord leaned back against the headboard, licking his lips.

"That was delightful, my dear," he said. "I'm not sure if I can think of a better way to start the day." He smirked, glancing at her. "Well...maybe there's one way."

He stroked his talons through her mane, using his lion arm to pull her closer to him. He pressed his lips against hers with a moan, wrapping his tail around her waist. She moaned and closed her eyes, wrapping her forehooves around his neck as he rolled over, pinning her to the bed.

Time blurred past as they shared the passionate kiss, which soon turned into smaller kisses trailing down each other's faces and necks, and then small nips that Discord gave her neck and ears, making her giggle and flush bright red.

He purred, planting a kiss on her neck. "I know it's early in the morning," he purred, "But when has that ever stopped us?" He lifted his eyes to peer up at her, a bright red blush on his face.

With a deep breath, she lifted his head with a hoof and pressed her lips against his, moaning against his mouth. He groaned and deepened the kiss, and she ran her hooves through his mane.

"Fluttershy..." he groaned, pulling away. She started trailing kisses across his face, as he gently caressed her wings, his hands shifting downwards.

* * *

Fluttershy sighed, nuzzling into Discord's chest fur, while he tangled his fingers in her mane, his warm breath caressing the top of her head.

Discord kissed the top of her head. "Thank you, Fluttershy," he whispered into her ear.

"Of course," she said back quietly. "I-I-I enjoyed it too, you know." A bright red blush spread across her cheeks and down her neck.

He chuckled. "Well, I believe you mentioned having tea together, did you not?" She nodded. "Well, as much as I would like to have a full tea party in bed...staying in bed the whole day sounds rather dull, even if there's fun to be had." Her blush grew a little deeper, and she noticed a slight pink tinge at the tips of his ears.

"I thought it would be nice to have a tea party with the furniture from our first tea party," she said. "We could go to the furniture storage room."

"Hmm. Well, I suppose my birthday is a special occasion. I suppose I can remove the protective glass cover on that furniture for today," he said. "We should probably freshen up first, though."

He snapped his fingers, and a waterfall of warm water poured over them from the ceiling, smelling faintly of lemons. A few seconds later, he snapped again, and the waterfall was replaced by a gust of warm air from below. He snapped again, and the wind stopped, leaving both of them dry, though with mussed fur.

He shook himself, flattening his fur out, then carefully stroked her coat, flattening out any rogue spikes. "Thank you," she said, hopping out of bed. "Now, about that tea party..."

He nodded and snapped his fingers, teleporting the two of them to the furniture room. It was completely dark, and the only reason she could tell it was the furniture room was because of the dark lumps hidden in the shadows, shaped like couches. "Now, where's the light switch?" she heard him say, along with some fumbling sounds near the wall.

He flicked the lights on, showing a transformed room. Two tables were pressed together and stuffed with various snack items, including bruised apples. A barrel of cider was on one end, while the other held a three-tiered cake with crazy patterns and colors on it. Another table held a pile of gifts. Balloons of every color of the rainbow were tied to almost every surface, and a banner reading "Happy Birthday, Discord!" in rainbow letters was hanging on the far wall. Various games were set up around the room, and all of their friends were standing in the center of the room, grinning widely.

"SURPRISE!" they shouted, confetti spraying from nowhere.

Pinkie bounced forward. "Did we surprise you, Discord? Huh? Huh?"

He chuckled and pat the top of her head. "I'm not that bad at remembering dates," he said. "I knew you guys would be up to something, but..." he glanced around the room. "You certainly went all out for this. In my house, no less."

"It's all thanks to Fluttershy!" Pinkie said, jumping up and dropping party hats on top of his horns. "She designed and prepared the decorations with me! She knew what cake you would want! She helped us get here early enough to set everything up!"

Fluttershy blushed and rubbed at her foreleg. "Well...Pinkie's the one who actually made the cake. And she helped out with the decorations and everyone helped set them up..."

"Oh, don't be modest, dear Fluttershy!" Discord said, picking her up and putting her on his shoulders. "I know this party will be perfect for me because you know me better than anyone. Take a little credit for it!"

She blushed. "O-okay. I hope you enjoy it..."

"I'm sure I will," Discord said. "Now, do my eyes deceive, or it that bobbing for oranges over there?"

Time passed as they played games, including bobbing for oranges and Twister. Discord seemed to be having fun, and was helping himself every so often to one of the bruised apples on the table. The rest of their friends joined in on the fun, helping themselves to the chocolate cupcakes with rainbow frosting that Pinkie had made.

After thirty minutes or so, he floated over to her and leaned over to whisper into her ear. "Have I waited long enough, or would it be rude to start opening presents?" he asked.

She giggled and nuzzled his cheek. "I think you can open them now if you want," she said, kissing his cheek before pulling away.

Discord cheered and leapt into the pile of presents from a diving board, swimming about and holding one up after the other. "Which one is yours, Fluttershy? This one? Or maybe this one?"

Fluttershy giggled. "Mine isn't in there. I'll give it to you once you've opened everyone else's," she said.

"Boooo," Discord groaned. "Booo—oh, fine." He flopped out of the pile and grabbed a colorful bag, grabbing and flinging away the tissue paper inside.

He carefully pulled out a glass orb with swirling colors inside. "What's this?" he said, turning it over in his hands.

"It's a magic orb," Starlight said. "If you use your magic, you can arrange the colors inside into different shapes!" Discord narrowed his eyes and raised a hand, a yellow glow forming around it. He twisted his fingers around, and the colors inside spiraled into a tornado.

"And I'm guessing you're the one who made this?" Discord said, shaping the colors into Starlight's cutie mark. She nodded and pulled a piece of paper out of the bag.

"Here are some instructions on how to change colors, and how to solidify an image if you want." Discord eyes flicked over the paper, and he held the orb up to his eye. With a few seconds of swirling color, an image formed inside: the group of them, looking at him and smiling.

"Very interesting," he said, setting the orb carefully to the side. "I can see myself using this a lot."

He grabbed another present: a neatly-wrapped rectangle. He ripped the pink and purple wrapping paper to shreds, revealing a book underneath. "Oh, wow. I wonder who this is from," he said, glancing over at Twilight and rolling his eyes.

The others chuckled, and Twilight rolled her eyes. "At least see what it is, first," she said, using her magic to open the cover of the book.

Discord stared down at the first page for a long time. Fluttershy leaned over to peek over his shoulder. On the first page was an image of her reaching out to hold Discord's paw—on the day they had first become friends.

Discord flipped through the rest of the pages, each showing an image of him interacting with the group, and with clear writing detailing the date and the story behind each of the events.

He kept flipping until he reached a blank page. "I thought you'd like to add memories to come later," Twilight said.

"Thank you, Twilight," Discord said. "This was...very kind of you." He carefully closed the book, tracing a finger over the gold letters on the cover. "This is...thank you." After a few more seconds, he set the book to the side.

He snagged another gift bag with his tail. He stuck his muzzle into the tissue paper and rooted through it, unearthing several small cloth bags. With his tail, he shook the bags, spilling colorful, sparkling dice onto the floor.

A rainbow of dice, all different shapes, covered the floor. He scooped up a handful, holding them up to the light and showing how the dice sparkled under it. "Spike, I'm guessing that these are from you?"

The dragon nodded. "Yeah. I thought you'd appreciate a nice variety of dice. But that's not the only thing I got you."

"Oooh!" Discord said, dropping the dice and sticking his muzzle back into the bag. After more rifling, he pulled out a hardcover book with a picture of a dark, looming tower on the front, and large ogre at the top, taunting a group of ponies below him.

"Is this that newest expansion?" he said, opening it and flipping through the pages. "I wonder if they've added 'draconequus' as a race yet. They haven't replied to any of my letters."

Spike chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, Discord, if anyone can build that as a custom class, it'd be you."

"Hmmm. True," Discord said, placing bookmarks in the book. "Besides, I doubt they would be able to capture that true glory that is my species, anyway." He set the book down, snapping his fingers and making the dice jump on top of it in tall piles. He grabbed the next gift, carefully wrapped in rainbow paper and tied with a sparkly ribbon, and carefully peeled it open.

"Another book?" he said, holding up the thin book. "Twilight, did you get me another present? What a surprise." Twilight rolled her eyes with a scoff, though she was smiling.

"Oh, that's actually mine!" Pinkie said, bouncing up and down. "I made it myself! Open it!"

Discord flipped the book open to the first page. Fluttershy peered over his shoulder again to look. The first page was filled with several pictures, each of them numbered. Most of them were of a mixing bowl and its contents, while the final one was of a finished chocolate cake. There was also a list of step-by-step instructions.

Discord flipped through the pages. Each one was a different dessert recipe, styled in the same way—a list of instructions, plus pictures of each step.

"I snuck a tiny bite out of that cake you made for the Friendship Baking Tournament!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "Actually, I snuck bites out of all of your desserts!"

"Pinkie!" Twilight said. "When did you—" She shook her head with a sigh.

"And I noticed that the cake was awfully salty," Pinkie continued. "And then I thought you didn't know how to make a cake without magic, and that made me sad because baking is one of the bestest funnest things in the world, and then I was sad even when I was making a cake for myself—"

Discord held up a hand. "Can I get the Cliffsnotes version, please?" he said.

"Oki doki loki!" Pinkie chirped. "I felt bad that you didn't know how to bake, so I put together a book that shows you how to bake!" She pointed at the cover. "I even named it 'EZ Baking'! Get it?"

Discord chuckled, closing the book. "I think you're the only group who'd try and teach me some new lesson or skill with my presents," he said. "I do appreciate this, though. If I can get better at baking, maybe I'll even rival your desserts, Pinkie."

"Heh. Don't count on it, buster," she said with a smirk.

He grinned, then reached out to grab the next present—and ended up overbalancing, pulling off the sheet with a ribbon taped onto it. Underneath was a beautiful, square wooden chest, with a carving of Discord and Fluttershy on its lid. "Made it myself," Applejack said. "Each one of the Apple family gets one of these at some point. They're great for storing things, and its made of genuine applewood."

Discord traced a claw over the design on top, then opened the chest to put his head inside. "Thank you, Applejack," he said, gathering the other opened presents in his tail and sliding them carefully into the chest. He carefully placed the chest to the side, the lid still open, as he snagged another gift bag with his tail.

He flung the tissue paper away with wild abandon, carefully lifting out the other items inside—a dribble glass, joy buzzer, and a jar that read 'peanut brittle'. "Let me guess, this is from Rainbow," he said, pulling out a fake flower.

Rainbow nodded and grinned. "That's some of my old pranking stuff! I figured that you'd find something to do with them." She narrowed her eyes. "But maybe at least use them for pranking _once_ before eating them?"

He chuckled. "Sorry about that. No hard feelings, right?" He held out his paw. Rainbow glanced at him, then rolled her eyes and grabbed it.

A spray of water hit her from behind, making her jump and whirl around. The fake flower was there, floating in midair, before floating back into Discord's paw. "Gotcha," he said with a grin. He, Rainbow, and Pinkie started laughing, and the rest of them joined in.

The next gift was a white dress box with a sheer purple ribbon. "Let me guess...Rarity's gift," he said, flicking the knot of the ribbon, which untied itself and fell away, the top floating off. He rose an eyebrow and pulled out a white dress, with a hem decorated in glittering vines and roses. "Um, Rarity," he said. "Did you mix up my gift with someone's order?"

Fluttershy smiled and pulled out the rest of the dress. While it did have the vines and roses, which reminded her of her wedding dress, the sequins were a vast array of different colors, and the skirt was dyed a rainbow of colors. And on the chest, there was an eight-pointed arrow, surrounded by orange, frilled fabric. And the dress itself was long enough to fit him.

Fluttershy pulled out the second item in the box—a teal suit, with a rose emblazoned on the label, and a pink tie. "I shared the original designs you made for our wedding outfits with Rarity," she said. "I thought...they might be nice to have? You seemed to like these..."

He stared for a second at the dress in his hands, then snapped his tail feathers. In a flash of light, the dress and suit appeared on both of them, and he summoned a full-length mirror to look at the dress from all angles. "I do treasure the original suit you made, Rarity," he said. "But I think I will definitely treasure this, as well!" He twirled.

Rarity grinned, though Fluttershy remembered everything she had muttered about crimes against fashion while making the dress. While it was beautiful, it was very chaotic...which suited him well. Discord floated over, staring at her expectantly.

"That's all the gifts but yours, Flutters dear," he said. "Now, where did you hide that? I'm anxious to see what it is!"

She smiled. "I'll go fetch it." She flew out of the room and to the closet he had searched the other day. To her relief, her present was still there, untouched. She grabbed it and flew back, placing it carefully in Discord's hands.

He tore the wrapping paper to shreds in a frenzy, stopping short when the present was revealed. She bit her lip, watching and waiting for his reaction. She stole a glance at the painting.

She had used one of their wedding photos as a reference—the one where they had fed each other a bite of cake, and Discord had "accidentally" smeared frosting all over her cheek. The painting wasn't perfect, and some parts were too angular or too large, but she thought it was recognizable enough. But Discord hadn't said anything yet.

She was starting to grow worried that he didn't like it. All of a sudden, he placed it on the floor...then scooped her into his arms and began to pepper her face with kisses. "You wonderful, _wonderful_ mare!" he said. "It's perfect! It's amazing! It's the best gift so far!" He kissed her on the lips.

"You...like it?" she said when he pulled away. A smile spread across her face.

"I _love _it!" he said. "Oh, that's going in our bedroom, right away!" He snapped his fingers, and it disappeared in a flash of light. He kissed her on the cheek again, then pressed her against his side. "Now, I have my eyes on a chaotically delicious cake!"

* * *

The day passed in a flurry of games, snacks, and Discord trying out his new presents. The crusaders, Big Mac, Celestia, and Luna all came by at different times, staying for a few minutes and giving their presents before leaving. One by one, all the guests had to leave and head back to their homes and jobs.

Fluttershy and Discord were left alone, laying on the couch, with her snuggling against his chest. They had taken off their dress and suit, hanging them up carefully next to the other presents he had gotten. He was running his fingers through her mane, while she lightly kissed the knuckles of his paw.

"That," he said, "was a perfect birthday. You did a wonderful job, my dear." He kissed the top of her head. "In fact, I can think of only one thing that would make this even better."

"What?" she asked, lifting her head. He grinned and snapped his fingers, and a whistling teapot appeared in his hand. She slowly smiled. "Oh...I suppose I did say we should do that." He nodded and slowly sat up, still keeping her pressed close to him and pouring them both cups of tea.

"Happy birthday, Discord," she said, holding her teacup to him.

"And I hope to have many more...with you," he said, clinking his cup to hers. They smiled and leaned against each other, slowly sipping their tea.


	42. EZ Baking

Discord yawned loudly, rolling onto his stomach and stretching out like a cat. He smacked his lips and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, recalling the last bits of the dream he had. He wasn't able to remember much: just that he had been with Fluttershy, and the two of them were gloriously happy...

He rolled onto his side to look lovingly at his wife, still fast asleep. He gently ran a talon through her mane, and she mumbled sleepily, a soft smile forming on her face as she shifted closer to him. He gasped softly, his heart skipping a beat.

He shifted closer, draping his arm over her, simply lying still and watching her sleep. Her chest rose and fell slowly, her face perfectly framed by her pink mane. He sighed, wondering how in the world he ever managed to deserve this.

Soon, she began stirring awake. The second she started blinking her eyes open, he leaned forward and lightly kissed her nose. "Good morning," he whispered. "I love you."

She smiled, wrapping her hooves around him and kissing his nose. "I love you, too," she whispered back before nestling her cheek into his fur.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, laying his chin on top of her head. They stayed like that for a few moments, basking in each other's presence. Discord smiled, his whole body feeling light and warm.

Time passed by, until Fluttershy sighed. "I'd love to do this all day," she said. "But I have to go to the sanctuary today."

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright," he said. "If you _must_ be responsible, we can't have you doing that on an empty stomach." He kissed her neck as he snapped his fingers, teleporting them to the kitchen.

They made pancakes together, Discord keeping Fluttershy pressed against his stomach the whole time. Even when she sat down at the opposite end of the table as him, he reached out with his tail to wrap it around her back hooves, making her giggle a little.

"I'll see you for lunch?" she said after she had finished her pancakes (with extra chocolate chips). He nodded with a smile, and she flew over to kiss him on the cheek. "I love you! Have a nice day!" she said cheerfully as she flew out the front door.

He sighed and watched as she left, his pupils transforming into hearts. _I love her,_ he thought blissfully. The bliss seemed to die down once she was out of his sight, and he sighed sadly. _I should show her how much I love her._

The thought made his eyes widen, and he began to stroke his beard. The thought wasn't anything new—he regularly did things to spoil Fluttershy or show his sheer adoration. But this was the first time in a while that the thought came from out of nowhere.

He hummed and stroked his beard, floating out of the kitchen and wondering what he should do. A candle appeared above his head with a _ding!_ and he teleported into the memory museum, right in front of an applewood chest with a carving of him and Fluttershy on it.

He quickly opened the chest and shifted through the materials, before finally pulling out a binder that read _EZ Baking_ on the front. "A home-made, hand-cooked lunch sounds like a great way to show appreciation for my dear Fluttershy!" he said, hugging the book to his chest.

He opened it and flipped through the pages as he floated back to the kitchen. "Let's see...I'll want a dessert, of course. A fruit platter would be nice...and a main dish is a must," he said to himself, his tail scribbling on a notebook floating behind him. "Oh! And tea to drink."

He sat down at the table. "So...what dessert, and what main dish?" he mused. "For that matter...what should be on the fruit platter?"

He quickly wrote down a list of fruits and vegetables, then nodded to himself. "Alright. For the main dish...cucumber sandwiches and carrot-ginger sandwiches," he said, scribbling that on his palm. "Now...the dessert."

He flipped through the book a few times, growling a little to himself. "Nothing in here is especially important to me and Fluttershy!" he groaned. "No teacakes, no type of cookie she's made me..." He sighed, remembering the treats Fluttershy made for him in the past, raising his fingers to snap them into existence.

He quickly shook his head and slapped down his hand. "No. I want to make it without magic, to show her how much she truly means to me." He grimaced. "Even if me baking without magic hasn't ended well..."

Tiny lightbulbs appeared on top of his horns. "A chocolate cake!" he said to himself, flipping to the page with the recipe. "Or, no...chocolate cupcakes! The same thing, but different!" He flipped to the cupcakes recipe.

His eyes flicked over the page. "I should do these first, just to make sure they're done right," he mused. "I can make the sandwiches while they're in the oven." He snapped his fingers and make a pink chef's hat and apron appear on him. "Alright. Let's do this!"

He teleported over to the counter with the book. "Okay, first...'wash your hands and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit'," he read, cranking the oven dial to the correct temperature with his tail while spraying his hands with a jet of soapy water. "'Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners'." He flicked his hands dry, then snapped his fingers and made an iron muffin tray with five rows of three, then shuffled some paper liners before dealing them like cards into the tray.

"'Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt'," he read. He snapped his fingers, and the ingredients floated from the cupboards, settling themselves in front of him. "Might as well get the others, too," he said, snapping his fingers. The rest of the ingredients from his and Fluttershy's last baking attempt floated to him from the fridge and cupboard.

"Alright," he said, snapping his fingers and creating a lab coat and goggles on himself. "Baking needs precise measurements. I can't mess this part up." Carefully, slowly, he measured out each of the ingredients and placed them aside, writing the name of the ingredient on each measuring cup and spoon in black marker.

He created a large plastic bowl in front of him, tossing in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa. He picked up the salt, then paused, using his claw to take a few small grains out before dropping them onto his tongue. "Yep, that's salt," he said, dropping it into the bowl. "Now...sifting."

He made a large spoon in his hand and began to stir the ingredients with great energy. A few small clouds of white powder puffed up, threatening to hit him in the face, which made him slow down slightly. In the end, though, he still ended up with some white powder in his beard. He paused when the powder was a light brown color, and glanced over at the book to compare it to Pinkie's photo. "That looks about right."

"'In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy'." He shoved the flour mixture to the side, making another large bowl in front of him. He tossed them in, summoning a whisk in his hand and stirring rapidly until the creamy mixture splashed against the sides of the bowl. "'Add eggs, beat well'."

He grabbed one egg in each hand and held them above the bowl. He adjusted his fingers, then pulled back both ends of the eggshells, causing them to crack open and making the yolk fall into the bowl. He glanced back at the book as he whisked them into the cream. "Whoopsie, that was supposed to be one at a time." He glanced down at his cream, turning a soft yellow.

"Ah, well," he said with a shrug, grabbing the vanilla with his tail and tossing it in, still whisking. He kept this up, glancing between his work and the photo in the book, slowing to a stop when they matched.

"Okay...'add the flour mixture alternately with milk, beat well'," he read. "What did Fluttershy say last time...? Do it in small amounts?"

He grabbed the dry ingredients bowl and tipped it, pouring only some of its contents into his bowl. He began to stir it again, this time a bit more slowly, remembering the 'folding' motion that Fluttershy had taught him to use.

He continued, adding the milk and then the dry mixture, stirring between each addition. Soon, the mixture became a smooth, chocolate brown mixture that matched Pinkie's picture. He stirred it a few more times, then stopped and glanced back at the instructions.

"Then...that's it," he said. "I just need to put it in the tray, then in the oven." He glanced between the photo and his batter again. "Looks about right...but maybe I should do a taste test!"

He summoned a silver spoon, scooping out a little of the batter and bringing it to his mouth. He paused and pulled the spoon away, pursing his lips in thought. "Wait...hasn't Fluttershy said that raw eggs can cause illnesses?"

He stroked his beard, then shrugged. "Eh, I'm the Spirit of Chaos. A little bit of egg isn't going to cause me any trouble." He shoved the spoon into his mouth, swishing the batter around with his tongue.

"Mmm. Tastes like sweet chocolate," he mumbled before swallowing. "Maybe I should do another test, to be safe." He was about to take another spoonful, but an image of Fluttershy flashed in his mind, of her enjoying a perfect cupcake during their picnic.

He shivered, then shook his head. "I mustn't be greedy," he said to himself. "These are meant for Fluttershy." He raised his claw, and the batter was lifted up in a golden aura. With a few twitches of his fingers, the batter was divided into fifteen equal-sized spheres, which he then carefully levitated into the papers.

He swiped some sweat off of his forehead, then grabbed the tray and stuck it into the oven. "How long does it need?" he said as he peered back at the book. "Let's see...fifteen minutes." He pulled a wooden timer out of thin air, twisting the dial and setting it next to the oven.

With that, he snapped his fingers and teleported a few feet down the counter, snapping his fingers again to make a bowl, large plate, and loaf of bread.

"Alright. Sandwich time," he said, reaching into the cupboards and grabbing a bundle of carrots and a container of ginger. He tossed the carrots into the bowl and began to wildly mash at them, pausing to calmly add a pinch of ginger every few seconds.

* * *

The front of the timer opened like two small doors, and a yellow cuckoo bird flew out, chirping and flying circles around Discord's head. "I get it, I get it," he said, shooing it away. "I'll get them out in a second." He finished spreading the carrot-ginger spread on the sandwich and set it on the plate.

He slid over to the oven, snapping bright yellow oven mitts onto his hands. He pulled open the door, grabbed the tray, and placed it on the cooling rack. He slammed the oven door closed, twisting the dial off with his tail.

The cuckoo bird flew away, perching itself on top of its timer. Discord leaned down to inspect the cupcakes, holding the book up just behind them and glancing between his creations and the finished picture.

"That's not right..." he said, glancing between them. His cupcakes were bigger than Pinkie's, and their tops completely poured over the edges of the paper.

"I followed all the instructions!" he complained, throttling the book. "I didn't mix up the salt and sugar! I measured things properly! I even tasted the batter to make sure it was okay!"

He groaned, flopping his head on the counter. "Where did I go wrong?" he moaned, his claw lazily tracing over Pinkie's hoofwriting. "Chocolate Cupcakes. Prep time fifteen minutes, cook time fifteen minutes, thirty minutes total. Makes sixteen servings..."

He froze. He slowly lifted his head and looked over at his cupcake tray, pointing at them and counting under his breath. "...Fifteen," he finished. He glanced between the book, then his cupcakes, before sighing and pressing his paw against his forehead.

"I put enough batter for sixteen cupcakes in fifteen papers," he groaned. "No wonder they grew monstrously huge."

He bit his lip, then glanced at the clock. _There's still enough time to try again! _he thought to himself. He then glanced over at the half-finished sandwich plates, looking lonesome without a fruit platter by its side._ But I still have to finish those..._

He shrugged, sliding back over to the sandwich tray and grabbing two more slices of bread. "I'll finish this and the fruit tray, then think about trying to remake the desserts," he said aloud, globbing carrot-ginger mixture onto one slice of bread and spreading it unevenly.

With that in mind, he began piling more sandwiches onto the plate.

* * *

Some time passed, and he now had a plate filled to the brim with sandwiches, another plate of chopped fruits and vegetables, and a steaming kettle of rosehip green tea. "And fifteen mutant cupcakes," he said to himself, staring at the oversized desserts.

He glanced at a nearby melting clock, then back at his desserts. "Well...they're edible, at least," he said to himself. "And they don't need to be perfect, really. If Fluttershy will enjoy them, that's good enough for me."

He snapped his fingers, and the paper liners peeled themselves away, struggling to pull out of the swollen tops. He ran a white scanner over the cupcakes, the reading coming back negative for any paper. "Now...for decoration," he said, snapping his fingers and making frosting and icing pipes to his right, and bowls of sprinkles, glitters, and candy toppings on his left.

He made blue plastic gloves on his hands, stretching and snapping them into place, grinning widely. He grabbed the first cupcake and the nearest frosting pipe and started working.

* * *

"Phew," he said, wiping sweat off of his forehead and setting the cupcake carefully on its plate with the others. He did a quick count, making sure he had gotten all of them, before carefully covering them with a plastic lid, enchanting it with a quick spell to make sure the only source of gravity was the plate—no way would he let them just tip over, after all his hard work!

He snapped his fingers and created a small wicker picnic basket. He carefully stacked everything inside, starting with the cupcakes and ending with the still-steaming tea kettle, without the basket bulging an inch. Just before closing it, he snapped his fingers and made a plaid blanket and a small, varied cheese tray, tucking them into the basket as well.

"Now everything is ready," he said to himself. "I just need to wait..." he glanced at the clock. "Another hour and a half before I can pick her up."

He snapped his fingers and teleported into their bedroom, flinging open the wardrobe and browsing the contents. "Now, should I dress for the occasion?" he said aloud, holding a black-and-white striped suit to himself. He shook his head, then held up a poofy orange dress.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his reflection. He turned to peer closer at the mirror set in the wardrobe door, wincing at the sight. His beard had white powder in it, and there were smears of frosting and icing over his face and in his hair, including one large, glittery smear on his forehead. He glanced down at his hands, noticing that they were covered in glitter and hints of icing. And now that he was appraising himself, he realized he was wearing a cologne of sweets and sweat.

"I should probably make myself presentable first," he said, snapping his fingers and getting rid of the frosting he had left on his clothing, then snapping his tail feathers and teleporting into the bathroom.

* * *

After a quick shower, and choosing his cologne and outfit, he teleported to the library. It was a library that could have put even Twilight's to shame—each of the four walls was a shelf of books, stretching from the floor to the ceiling, which was so high up you almost couldn't see the top. Staircases and ladders lined the shelves at various locations, and there were multiple doors and balconies spread along the walls, each forming its own comfortable reading space. Books flew around the area, performing tricks or sleeping on the shelves. The only thing Twilight would hate about it was that, for the most part, it was completely unorganized.

He began floating along the disorganized shelves and searching for a book. A book fluttered past him, catching his eye. A green, smiling orb with arms was waving at him from the cover, holding a suitcase in one hand. "Oh, I wouldn't mind revisiting that," Discord said, diving after the book.

After a short chase through the library, he managed to catch it in a net, flopping down on one of the soft couches on the ground, next to a tranquil pool of water, with a glass statue of a group of ponies with their muzzles buried in books as its centerpiece. One of them bore some resemblance to Twilight.

He stroked the book's spine, making it stop struggling and open up. He stretched out and lounged on the couch, allowing himself to be lost in the book's world.

A beeping sound pulled him out of an alien planet and made him glance down at his wrist, where a black watch was beeping and flashing with blue lights, the digital numbers telling him he had fifteen minutes to get ready for the picnic. He pressed a button on the side, making it go silent and turn into a cloud of mist that was blown away with a small gust of wind.

He pulled a sparkly bookmark out of his ear and placed it in the book, which snapped itself closed before flying back up to its fellow books. He snapped his fingers and teleported back to their bedroom. He splashed a few drops of the lemon-lime cologne on himself, then grabbed a simple, flowery sunhat off of the rack and put it on his head. He paused, then grabbed a white one with a pink ribbon wrapped above its brim, then teleported into the kitchen.

He slung the picnic basket onto his shoulder, tucking the white sunhat between the handles and lid, then began to pace back and forth, leaving a trail of navy blue footprints behind him, glancing at the clock every few seconds.

At the five minute mark, he groaned, throwing his hands up into the air. "Why am I even waiting!?" he said. He paused, then lowered his arms, placing a hand to his chin. "No, really, why am I waiting? She's probably finishing up her morning chores now, and it's close enough to noon that she's probably hungry for lunch."

He snapped his fingers, teleporting to the animal sanctuary and ducking behind a tree, peering out at Fluttershy. She was having a conversation with a group of doves and stroking their wings, smoothing some ruffled feathers. The birds listened carefully, then flew away to different nests.

Discord stepped from out behind the tree. "Good afternoon, my dear!" he said cheerfully. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Discord!" she said, flying forward and hugging him around the neck. "No, I just finished talking with the doves. They were having a problem with stealing sticks from each other's nests."

"What drama," he said. "Perhaps you'd like to take a break and enjoy a picnic lunch with me?" He held out the basket, and her eyes lit up with a smile.

"Oh, yes!" she said. "I'd love too! Do you have any place in mind for the picnic?"

"Of course," he said, gently grabbing her hoof and snapping his tail feathers. They teleported to a hillside, covered in beautiful white flowers, with a few small blue and pink blooms sprinkled throughout.

Fluttershy flew forward, glancing around the area. "This isn't that far away. I can see Ponyville that way, and my old cottage is over there," she said, realization slowly dawning. "This is...where we had our first picnic together."

"Indeed it is," he said, placing the white sunhat on top of her head. "You urged me not to crush any of the flowers, I recall."

"And you didn't," she said with a smile. "You moved a patch of flowers so that we could have our picnic without hurting them." She leaned against his side. "And that made me sure that your powers could be used to protect ponies, not hurt them."

He blushed, twirling a strand of her mane around his finger. "Well, if we're going to reminisce on the past, we might as well do it with full stomachs," he said. He snapped his fingers, and a large circle of flowers jumped out of the ground and began to run around the area, their roots acting like legs.

Fluttershy giggled as the flowers began dancing with each other, while Discord whipped out the blanket and spread it out on the empty space on the ground. He sat down on the blanket and dropped the basket, patting the space next to him. She smiled and laid on her stomach, still watching the flowers dance and play with each other.

Discord pulled everything out of the basket, except for the cupcakes. He laid out everything else and created teacups for Fluttershy and himself. She nibbled on a piece of radish while he poured tea into both of their cups.

"I made all of this myself," he boasted. "And not with magic! Well, most of the ingredients were made with magic...but I cut and prepared everything myself! Except for the cheese, that's just magic." He picked up an apple slice, which was thin on one end and thick on the other. "You can...kind of tell they're not magic."

"Well, I think everything looks good," Fluttershy said, taking a sip of tea and grabbing a cucumber sandwich, taking a large bite. She smiled widely, her eyes closed as her cheeks bulged. He grinned and chuckled, dipping a sliver of swiss cheese into his tea before eating it.

She chatted about the sanctuary as they ate, pausing to compliment his sandwiches every once in a while. Each kind word made his heart flutter and a wide grin spread on his face. He cracked a few jokes, using his magic to make them come to life, making her burst into fits of giggles.

Almost too soon for him, they had finished off all the sandwiches and cleared the cheese and "fruit" tray. Fluttershy sighed, leaning back and placing her hooves on her stomach.

"That was wonderful," she said, closing her eyes. "Why don't we lay here for a few minutes...before I have to go back to the sanctuary."

He chuckled, placing his hands behind his head and leaning back next to her. "That does sound nice..." He opened his eyes. "But the picnic's not done yet!"

He quickly sat up and began digging through the picnic basket, while Fluttershy sat up and watched him curiously. He got a grip on the cupcake platter, then paused and looked up at her.

"I present to you—dessert!" he said, pulling out the platter and whipping off the top.

She gasped, a hoof going to her mouth. He looked down, wondering if he had messed something up. Eight cupcakes, arranged in two lines, with one large, glittery letter iced on each, read _I LOVE YOU_. The other seven cupcakes, each with a different pattern and style, were arranged in a circle around them.

He glanced back up at Fluttershy, who was pulling both hooves away from her mouth. "Oh, Discord," she said. "It's..."

"Sloppy, I know," he said, looking away. "I mean, they should taste fine, but I still made them too big. I'm still not good at making these by hand, without magic."

"No..." she said. "It's beautiful...and very sweet." She leaned around the platter to kiss him on the cheek.

He could feel his face warming up. "Maybe save the compliments until you taste them," he said, handing her a cupcake with white, glittery frosting, with a blue sugar snowflake crookedly stuck on top. "I didn't mix up the salt and sugar this time, but that doesn't mean I didn't miss something else."

She took a large bite out of the cupcake, closing her eyes and smiling. "It's amazing!" she said after swallowing. She took another large bite, smearing a bit of the white frosting on the side of her mouth.

He smirked, watching as she finished her cupcake. He chuckled a little, seeing that she hadn't noticed the frosting yet. His chuckle grew a little louder when she tilted her head, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Oh, you have a little something right here," he said, pointing at the corner of his lips. She blinked, then tried to lick the frosting off where he had pointed, missing the largest glob of it.

"Did I get it?" she asked.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No. Here, let me help you." He tilted her chin up with his talon and pressed his lips against her lightly. He flicked his tongue in the spot where the frosting was, scooping it off of her lips and into his mouth. He ran his tongue across the rest of her lips. She cooed softly, and he could feel her smiling.

"Mmm," he said, pulling away. "That was quite...delicious." Fluttershy's face turned bright red, and he chuckled, holding the platter out to her again.

"A-aren't you going to have one?" she asked, shaking off her embarrassment and reaching out for a cupcake with black frosting and teal icing, arranged to look like rose petals.

He shook his head. "I made these all for you, my dear. Please, help yourself to however many you want."

She frowned, grabbing a different cupcake—one with a large pile of lime green frost, with a sheen of clear icing on top. There was a blue candy tophat and red candy bowtie, and a thin line of black icing formed a thin, squiggly mouth. "Have one!" she insisted, placing it into his paw.

"Oh, no," he said. "This one is loaded with frosting, you'll love it. I insist you have it." He placed it in her hoof, which made her frown.

She narrowed her eyes, then tried to hand it to him again...when suddenly, her path changed, and she tried to shove it into his mouth. _Tried_, because he had closed his mouth, meaning she only managed to smear the frosting all over his lips.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she said, pulling back with the mess of a cupcake. "I just...wanted you to have one, too," she said, looking down sadly at the cupcake. "And I ended up ruining all the work you put into it..."

Her sad expression was breaking him. "Okay, I'll eat some," he said, taking the cupcake gently out of her hooves. "And don't worry about the frosting," he said. "I mean, it was meant to be eaten and destroyed in the first place." He took a bite out of the cupcake, licking his lips and picking up some of the green frosting.

She smiled. "I know, but...it looked so good!" She looked back at the rest of the cupcakes—the letter ones, the black-and-teal rose, one whose sides were painted to look like a simple teacup, with the top unfrosted to look like dark tea, an upside-down one that looked like a simple version of her old cottage, one that had a grumpy-looking bunny face on top, and one that was frosted completely white, with a pink frosting rose on top.

"They all look amazing," she said. "I almost feel bad eating them..."

Discord pulled out a camera and snapped a few photos. "There. I saved the designs. And don't forget, I can always make them again with my magic!"

She picked up the black rose cupcake and took a bite out of it. "What about the cupcakes we've already eaten?"

He flung the camera over his shoulder, where it sprouted bat wings and disappeared into a blue portal with clocks inside of it. "About to be taken care of," he said. "Or rather, already taken care of."

She giggled as he finished off the Smooze cupcake, taking a few more bites of her own. "You've got a little something right here," she said, pointing at her muzzle.

"Oh?" he said, swiping his tongue in a few spots. "Care to help me get rid of it?" he purred, leaning forward.

She blushed red and nodded, leaning forward to meet his lips. Her tongue exited her mouth and began to gently and cautiously run along his muzzle, picking up globs of frosting as it went.

She slowly pulled away once his muzzle was clean, leaning up to lick a little bit off the top of his nose before turning back to her own cupcake. He smiled and grabbed one of the letter cupcakes, digging in.

They passed time like that, Discord doing his best to eat his cupcakes slowly, to make sure that Fluttershy could get plenty. After two more cupcakes, she stopped and placed a hoof to her stomach. "I don't think I can eat anymore," she said. "You can have the rest if you'd like."

He looked down and patted his own bulging stomach. "No, I think I should stop, too," he said, putting the lid back on the cupcakes left, sticking the platter into the basket and tossing it through a portal, where it landed on a hat rack. "We can eat the rest later, for supper," he said.

She nodded, rolling over to lean against his side. "I think I'll rest for a few minutes," she said. "Before I go back to the sanctuary."

"I'll go with you," he said, wrapping an arm around her. "I'd like to lend you a hand with work today."

"Thank you," she said. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and sat up. "By the way...what made you decide to make all this without magic?" she asked. Her eyes widened, and a hoof flew to her mouth. "Oh...and the cologne, the location...is today some important date? I'm sorry, Discord, I forgot!"

He quickly shook his head, patting the top of her head. "No, no, no, don't worry, Fluttershy," he said, rolling over to hug her. "There isn't anything particularly important about today. I just...wanted to do something special, to show how much I care about you."

"Oh..." she said. "That's...so sweet of you." She leaned her head against his neck and nuzzled him. "Thank you...this really was wonderful."

"I'm just glad you're happy," he said, twirling strands of her mane around his fingers.

"Very happy," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"...you might not be so happy when you see the state I left the kitchen in," he said. Fluttershy snorted, trying to stifle her laughter in his fur. He laughed, stroking his hand down her back. Once their laughter had calmed, she sighed and snuggled herself into his fur, closing her eyes.

He smiled down at her, tightening his grip around her and closing his eyes, content to hear her breathing and feel her heartbeat above his.

In just a few minutes, she would sit up and insist that she must go back to the sanctuary to care for the animals, and probably say that she should make dinner tonight since he was so kind as to make lunch. But for now...it was just the two of them, bellies full and a sweet taste on their lips, the sun shining down on them...and nothing else mattered.


	43. Stargazers

Discord and Fluttershy appeared in a flash of light on a grassy hill, just a short distance away from Sweet Feathers Sanctuary. The sun was slowly sinking lower into the sky. "Is this good?" he asked her.

She nodded, slowly sitting down on the grass before lying onto her back. "Are you excited?" she asked.

He flopped onto the ground next to her. "I suppose so," he said, placing his hands under his head. "I mean, I don't particularly care that today's the anniversary of Luna's return. I'd say the only ones who do care are her, Celestia, and Twilight."

She nudged his shoulder, and he quickly added, "And you and our friends, of course!" He glanced back at the sky. "I just meant that I'm more excited about the meteor shower Twilight's made than whatever date it might be."

"You don't care that Luna returned?" she said.

He quickly shook his head. "Of course I care about that! I just don't particularly care about what day it happened." He waved his paw in the air. "I'm not a fan of schedules, and the only dates I really care about are holidays, birthdays, and _our_ anniversary. You can't honestly expect me to care about anything else on the calendar. Besides, I don't see any national celebrations during my reformation day."

She giggled, shaking her head. "Of course. I should have known." She kissed his cheek. "But...I like the little celebration we have together for your reformation. And you do, too, right?"

He shrugged, hiding a small smile. "Well...I do admit that a small birthday party with friends is very nice." He kissed her forehead. "I truly do enjoy our little celebration, even if it isn't a national event."

She shifted closer to him. "I'm sorry for sounding so doubtful...like you didn't care."

"I understood what you meant," he said. "Are you excited?"

She nodded. "I've never seen a meteor shower before," she said. "What's it like?"

"Interesting," he said. "I've seen many of these before...even created a few of my own. But I don't think Twilight would have decided to take any tips from me in how to design this." He held up his paw and opened it, creating a few golden sparks that hovered in circles above his palm.

"I'm quite proud of some of the ones I created," he said, as the golden sparks changing into a rainbow of colors, etching patterns into the air behind them. "Not some of my more...dangerous ones, of course. But in the years before that, I could leave creatures in sheer awe." All of the sparks in his paw flew in front of her, all of them turning pink and moving to etch a heart in the air above her.

She blushed, covering her face with a strand of mane. "Maybe Twilight will let you do something with the night sky sometime...if you ask her nicely." He shrugged and closed his paw, the sparks dissipating into puffs of glittery smoke.

They glanced back at the sun, which was just starting to disappear below the horizon. If she looked off to the side, off in the distance near Ponyville, multicolored specks were starting to congregate on the hills and open areas, some of them spreading out blankets.

"Are you sure you don't want to go over there?" she asked him, pointing a hoof at the group. "I think they might even have their own parties to celebrate."

He followed to where her hoof was pointed. "Well...do you want to be a part of a large crowd, or have your own space?"

She glanced down. "I...I like having some space," she said. "But I wasn't sure if you'd rather be part of a large celebration..."

"Flutters," he said, placing his paw on her shoulder. "Whatever makes you happy makes me happy." He snapped his fingers, summoning chocolate shakes into her hoof and his claw.

"Besides, we can have our own celebration!" he said cheerfully, reaching over and clinking his glass against hers. "Cheers!"

She giggled. "Cheers!" she added, taking a sip of her cold beverage. She leaned back to look up at the sky, where the first few stars were starting to wink into view.

* * *

As the stars came into view, Discord would point out the constellations he saw, using his claw to draw golden patterns in the air a few feet above them. He pointed out ones that looked like her and her friends' cutie marks, the cutie marks of Celestia and Candance, and, most prominently tonight, Luna's cutie mark.

After that, he began "finding" his own patterns, from spirals and storm clouds, to a heart with her name written crudely in the middle. She giggled at each pattern he drew, poking him in the ribs when he showed her the heart. Soon, with the air filled with shimmering golden lines, she started pointing out patches of stars she could see figures in.

"I think I can see you there," she said, pointing to a messy cluster. He squinted his eyes at it. "It looks just like you when you're coiled around something, but you let your arms dangle limply."

He snapped his fingers, though no magic happened. "Ah, I see it!" He made a quick drawing motion at the area where she was pointing, making a pink-lined drawing of himself coiled around her, except his limbs were lying on the ground like limp noodles. He stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth, and completed the picture by adding a derpy expression to his face.

This was enough to send her into a giggling fit, covering her mouth with her hooves. He laughed along with her, poking her in the belly with his paw, making her giggle even more and curl up into a ball away from him.

Suddenly, off to the side, she saw a shimmer of gold streak across the sky. "Look!" she gasped. "It's starting!"

He stopped his tickle attack, flopping onto his back and waving away his constellation drawings. Another gold streak flashed across the sky, followed by another, then another. Before she knew it, the sky was completely filled with the golden ribbons of light, the stars becoming just a dim backdrop against their brilliant light.

"It's beautiful," she said in a hushed voice, just as the shower was finishing its climax.

"Yes..." she heard him whisper beside her. She glanced over at him, and saw that while one of his eyes was focused on the sky, the other was clearly focused on her. She turned away with a blush, looking back up at the sky.

Time passed quickly, and the shower soon died down to a few meteors. Though a few of them lit the sky up every so often, the sky returned to its normal, quiet, peaceful state. Off in the distance, most creatures were getting up and walking away, leaving the dark hills bare.

She felt Discord lay a soft paw on her shoulder. "Do you want to go home?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head. "No thank you. It's a nice night tonight." She shifted closer to him, snuggling into his chest. "Let's stay here just a little longer."

He smiled, stroking her mane. "That does sound nice..." he murmured, wrapping his arm around her.

After some time spent snuggling, they rolled onto their sides and wrapped their forelimbs around each other, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss. They pressed close against each other, Discord even wrapping his tail above her hips. The only way she could respond was by slinging her own tail over his lower torso. She could feel him smile against her muzzle.

Eventually, though, they pulled out of their kiss, but still clung tightly to each other, letting their tails dangle limply, but still in contact with the other's body. She sighed and tucked her head under his chin, snuggling further into his chest, turning her head just slightly to look up at the stars out of the corner of her eye.

She yawned softly, a sound muffled by her husband's fur. _It's so nice out, _she thought._ I'll wait just a few more minutes before asking to go home..._ With that, she looked up at the stars with drooping eyes, leaning against Discord's chest.

* * *

A chill wind blew over Fluttershy. She shivered, and crawled in the direction she knew Discord was in, searching for his warm body. She felt herself push even closer against a cold, damp body. With a grimace, she opened her eyes and sat up.

The two of them were lying on the hillside. The sun was just peeking over the horizon behind them, lighting the land with a beautiful pink hue. Discord's arms and tail fell limply to the ground as she sat up, and he let out a tiny snore, rolling closer to her.

Another chilly breeze blew past, making her shiver and wrap her hooves around herself. She glanced down at herself, and saw that the dewdrops that covered the grass were also covering her coat. A glance at Discord showed that the same thing had happened to him.

She quickly reached over and shook his shoulder. He grumbled, but stirred awake, peering up at her. "Discord," she said quietly, "We fell asleep on the hill last night. Can you snap us home?" She shivered. "It's really cold out here."

He quickly snapped awake, snapping his fingers as soon as the word 'cold' left her mouth. They appeared in their living room, where a fireplace suddenly grew out of the wall, a blazing green fire inside of it. With another snap of his fingers, three fluffy towels descended on her, and he came behind her and began to quickly rub her dry.

She laughed and tried to push him awake. "Discord, you're just as damp as I am!" He smirked, and his fur suddenly ruffled as she felt heat coming from his body.

"Not anymore," he said smugly. "Now, as soon as you're dried off, I'll make you some nice hot chocolate." He began to gently rub her dry. "I can't believe I was so careless...should have carried you home," he muttered to himself.

She placed a hoof on top of his claw. "Discord," she said quietly, "I'm fine, really. Honestly, I should have told you I was starting to get tired. Don't go blaming yourself for this."

He sighed, kissing the top of her head. "I know. I just...I want to make absolutely sure that you're alright," he said. "I couldn't stand it if you caught a cold because of me."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "You're too sweet." She grabbed a blanket on the couch and brought it closer to her. "Now, did you say something about hot chocolate?"

He grinned and nodded, the towels flying away as he draped the blanket over her shoulders. He snapped his fingers and created two mugs of steaming hot chocolate, shifting right up against her as he handed her the drink. They leaned against each other, blanket wrapped around both of them, as they sipped on their hot drinks.


	44. Pocky Game

Fluttershy was tending to the small, only slightly chaotic garden outside of their house when Discord appeared behind her in a flash of light. She turned and saw that he was wearing a robe with a flower pattern, and that some paper charms had been tied to his horns. His face was flushed, and he stumbled forward to wrap his arms around her.

She quickly flapped her wings to support his limp body. "Discord...are you okay?"

"Never better," he said. "Tons of sweets, and some spicy foods...Eastern unicorns have some great food, and some pretty cool decorations." He untied the robe, and piles of candy spilled out onto the floor. "I got you some stuff..."

"Thank you," she said, patting his head. "But you seem kind of tired." She felt his forehead with a hoof. "And overheated...that festival must have really taken it out of you. I'll get you a glass of water."

She flew inside, and when she came back with a glass of ice water, she found Discord, with the charms pulled off of his horns, searching through the pile of goodies while muttering to himself. His ears perked up and his head swiveled to face her. His eyes locked on the glass, which he quickly grabbed and drank with a gulp, letting out a steam-filled sigh. His face was already returning to its normal complexion.

"It looks like you had a lot of fun," she said, looking through the pile. Besides sweets, he had boxes of food, a few small toys, and a goldfish in a plastic bag, which she immediately cradled in her hooves. "Maybe I should have joined you..."

He tore open a portal in front of her, which opened into a clear pond filled with goldfish. She released the newest addition into it, and he tossed the portal into the air, catching it as it turned into a limp pizza. "Well, it was pretty crowded, and not exactly quiet. It wouldn't have been good for you," he said. "How are you feeling, by the way?" He carefully brushed a finger against her temples, sparks of magic sending tingling, numbing sensations through her head.

"Oh, my headache didn't last long at all!" she said cheerfully. "I took a short nap, and I felt fine when I woke up. I guess I was just a little tired."

"You were working late at the sanctuary and getting up early for three days," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "And with _me_ taking up the rest of your time, I'd say you were more than _a little_ tired." He kissed the nape of her neck, giving a small nip before pulling away.

Fluttershy felt her face flush and tilted her head to look up at him. "What about you?" she said. "You seem a bit tired yourself."

He huffed. "I am n-n-n—" He yawned loudly, showing off all his teeth. "—not tired," he said, sounding a bit pouty.

She reached up with a hoof to caress his cheek. "Well, I think laying down for a bit would be good for both of us," she said. "That way we can be well-rested and can go to the festival...tomorrow?"

He nodded. "An afternoon rest together, then a lazy but chaotic afternoon and a warm dinner?" he said, his tail giving a small wag. She smiled and nodded. "And then to spend the next morning having fun with you...I'm sold!"

He wrapped an arm around her, snapping his tail feathers and making the sweets he had collected float up in a large, shiny soap bubble. Just as he was about to take a step towards the house, he froze, his head turning back to the bubble.

"One second!" he declared, thrusting his head and hands inside the bubble and rooting around. He eventually emerged with a small, rectangular box. On the front, it showed a picture of thin sticks, half-covered in chocolate.

"I found out about this game during the festival," he said. "I want to play it at least once before we go to bed." He tore open the box and pulled out one of the sticks. "This is 'pocky'. It's some kind of cookie or biscuit."

"How long of a game is this?" she said. "Discord, if you're stalling...we don't have to take a nap if you don't want to."

He quickly shook his head, waving his paws in front of him. "Oh, no! The pocky game will only take a minute, two at most. Then we can go right to bed." He slammed his paw on his chest. "I promise."

"Well...okay," she said. "How do you play?"

He held the pocky between two fingers. "We each pick an end to start on. I count to three, and then we both start eating from our ends. Whoever pulls away or drops the pocky loses." He twirled it around. "Would you like the chocolate end or the plain end?"

"Plain, please," she said, and she saw his lips twitch into a smile. She couldn't help but smile herself, knowing how much he loved chocolate. He tossed the pocky into the air and caught it right in front of her, the plain end facing her. She carefully bit down on it, while he got onto all fours so that he was at her eye-level and wrapped his lips around the other end.

He held up the three fingers on his lion paw. He pulled them down one by one, and when the last finger was dropped, he began furiously munching on the pocky.

She tried to copy him, clumsily swirling the thin cookie in her mouth as she tried her best not to drop it. She was eating at a slower pace than him, but tried not to worry too much. She bit down hard whenever Discord pulled at the pocky, probably using his long serpentine tongue.

Eventually, Discord ate all of the chocolate half, when she was barely halfway through her end. She wondered if that meant he had won (eating the majority of the pocky), but he kept going.

He paused, with only an inch of pocky between them, staring into her eyes as a devilish smile spread on his face. She suddenly realized what he was doing.

The moment after her realization, he bit down on the rest of the pocky, just shy of her lips. Then, he carefully moved forward, pressing his lips against hers and closing his eyes, sighing softly. She sighed and returned the kiss, letting go of the pocky to trace her tongue across his lips.

He tasted sweet, the pocky being the strongest taste. But there was other, lingering sweetness there, and a hint of spiciness. It was intoxicating, and she wrapped her hooves around the back of his head, pulling him close. He tangled his fingers in her mane.

They groaned, pulling each other close, finally pulling away with a pop, gasping for breath. Discord's face was once again flushed, though with a cocky grin on his face. "Looks like we both won," he said. "And what a prize."

He pecked her lips lightly before standing up, his spine popping as he moved. "Raspberries for lunch?" he said, smacking his lips.

She blushed. "S-salad with raspberry dressing," she said.

He nodded. "Well, now that you've indulged me, I believe our bed is calling us." Their names echoed from down the hall in a whispered voice. "Shall we?" He offered her his arm.

She giggled, wrapping her forehoof through his arm. "Sure. But, you know...we don't have to sleep right away," she said. He tilted her head, so she pulled out another pocky from the box still held in his tail, pressing the chocolate side between his lips.

His eyes widened, and a grin spread on his face. "Well, I suppose I can't turn down an offer like _that_," he purred, pressing her close to his body. He snapped his fingers, and they teleported to their bedroom, the bubbled goodies slowly drifting inside to follow them to their destination.


	45. Oodles of Noodles

Discord hummed a merry tune as he stirred two boiling pots of noodles. One was gold and marked with painted butterflies, while the other was silver, with an engraving of himself on it. He flicked one noodle from each pot onto the ceiling, and he nodded in satisfaction when they stuck. With a snap of his fingers, the water in each pot boiled away completely, leaving just the noodles.

He levitated the pots off of the stove and began chopping garlic with each hand. He chopped and mashed, scraping it into each pot and mixing it in thoroughly, along with a few handfuls of cheese. With that done, he began to chop different types of peppers—jalapeño, habanero, and ghost—but these he only added to the silver pot.

Once both pots were thoroughly stirred, he summoned a ladle in each hand and scooped an equal amount into two bowls, both porcelain white with blue flowers and flytraps painted on them. He covered the two pots and was about to float them into the fridge when something slammed into the side of the house, making everything shake and tilt sideways.

"Darnit," he said with a huff, barely saving the bowls and placing them into a bubble with his magic. With a bit of focus, he threw a protective bubble around Fluttershy, even though she was out of sight. He sighed and cracked his knuckles, teleporting outside of the house.

A giant white-furred monster was leaning against their house, meowing loudly. Its head and paws were like a cat's, but it was at least a thousand times the size of a cat, and it had far too many paws to count, stretching back along its long, furry, snake-like body. It turned its head to Discord, revealing a surprisingly normal face with two blue eyes...and one green one above and between them, that opened up to get a better look at him.

It meowed at him, nose twitching. "For the last time!" he yelled through a bullhorn. "Don't run into the house! You can play with anything else, but not that!" It just meowed and pawed at the walls, watching in fascination as the house tipped.

"That's it," Discord said with a grunt. "Fluttershy thinks you're cute, but I'm sick of being nice!" He reached up above his head...and pulled out a large, comically oversized spray bottle.

He aimed it at the monster and sprayed a spurt of water at it. It hissed, showing more sharp fangs than its mouth should reasonably contain, the fur on its neck raising. Another spray, and it backed away from the house. Finally, for the _coup de grâce_, as it growled and hissed, trying to decide between its fun toy and fleeing...he stretched his arm towards it and flicked it on the nose.

It howled and whimpered, grabbing its nose with two of its paws and flying away, its long body undulating and disappearing into the purple sky. "And there'll be more of that if you try pulling that stunt again!" Discord yelled after it. He vanished the large spray bottle, and with a snap of his fingers, teleported to the animal sanctuary pantry.

Practically everything had fallen off of the shelves and onto the floor. He snapped his fingers and restored everything to—ugh—order, scanning the floor for his sweet Fluttershy. He spotted her lying next to a shelf full of carrots, looking dazed and confused. He quickly rushed to her side, popped the bubble around her, and began checking her for injuries.

"Fluffulhu visited again," he said, sighing in relief when all he found was a few bruises. And those, he peeled off of her like stickers, balling them up and tossing them aside. "I convinced him to leave the house alone. I don't think he'll come back anytime soon."

She slowly sat up, narrowing her eyes at him. "Discord...he's only a kitten. He just wants to play with something fun. I hope you weren't too mean."

"Just a few sprays of water and a flick on the nose," he said, offering her a hand. "Like how you trained the kittens not to treat the whole cat room as their litterbox."

"The nose flick was extreme..." she said, taking his hand and standing up. "I think you should apologize to him."

"This was the third time this month he attacked our house!" he said. "I'm sorry, Flutters, but as much as I love chaos, what if he decides to 'play' when you're here and I'm not? If you get stuck in a room, or hurt?" He crossed his arms.

They stared at each for a few moments, and Fluttershy sighed. "I...you're right," she said. "I'll talk to him this weekend. Try to train him not to do that."

He sighed. "If you do that, I suppose I should go apologize to him. Perhaps I was a bit extreme. I just got annoyed at being interrupted." He tucked a strand of her mane behind her ear. "But...we can both do that this weekend. Alright?"

She nodded. "Have you finished fixing lunch yet?" she asked.

"Almost!" he said, teleporting them into the kitchen. With a wave of his hand, everything was back to how it was, and he guided the bubble of noodles onto the counter, where it popped. "A bowl for me, and a bowl for you," he said, laying bamboo chopsticks on each bowl, placing one in a paper sack with a heart drawn on it, and the other in a metal lunchbox with his face on it.

After adding a thermos of tea, some sliced apples, and a small bowl of ice cream to each as well, he handed the sack to her with a smile. "Here you are, my dear," he said. "A complete and healthy lunch."

She smiled and accepted the bag. "Thank you, Discord. I'll head off to work now."

"And I, to visit Celestia!" he proclaimed, twirling the lunchbox between his fingers. "Have a wonderful day, Fluttershy!" He bent down to kiss her on the cheek, and she giggled and returned the gesture. She waved goodbye and flew out the door to one of the portals, and he snapped his fingers and teleported to Silver Shoals.

* * *

Discord and Celestia were laughing over large slices of red velvet cake. They sat in a small but comfortable living room, with cheerful white walls and yellow furniture, and large windows that let in plenty of sunlight. The walls were completely covered in pictures of the many ponies Celestia had known throughout the years. "Oh, Lulu's face was priceless!" Discord cackled. "If I'd known that she was so attached to the postal system here, I would have messed with it a long time ago!"

Celestia giggled. "Yes, well...I think any mail I receive is going to be very late for the next few days," she said. "Although I'm sure a new stamp for her collection will smooth her ruffled feathers." She took a large bite of cake, surprisingly unladylike for a former princess.

Discord nodded, drizzling some chocolate onto his cake before taking another bite. "And I'm sure a magic stamp from me should make her forgive me, as well," he said. "Do you still think she's up for cards later tonight?"

"We can deliver the apology gifts after lunch," Celestia said. "And then she can decide whether she wants to join or not. Perhaps she'll even be willing to join the next pranking spree?"

"Oooh, that would be fun," Discord said, rubbing his hands together. "You're both fairly good at pranks, but she is significantly more devious when she comes up with ideas." He swallowed the rest of his cake. "Now, what should we go next? More pranks? Maybe go on the ziplines?"

"After lunch," Celestia said, pointing to the clock on her wall. "It's past noon. I know we just had cake, but..."

"When have I ever been against eating dessert first?" he said. From his pocket dimension, he pulled out his lunch box and placed it on the table, while Celestia used her magic to grab a box from inside her small kitchen—something from the pizza place in the retirement home.

He watched as her magic heated it up, the olives and jalapeños melting into the cheese. "A new combination," he remarked, opening his lunchbox and arranging his lunch. "I see you're taking a page out of my book. Care to try something else new?" He grinned, holding the noodles out to her.

"Never again," she said. "Not after that donut you gave me." She looked a little green just mentioning it. "Chocolate and tomato sauce are _not_ things that should go together."

"So says you," he huffed. "Frankly, I found it delicious." He took a whiff of his noodles. "Probably wise you don't eat this, anyway. I put in enough spice to take the roof off of a pony's mouth!"

"Of course you did," she said, taking a bite out of her pizza.

He grabbed the noodles in a bunch with his chopsticks and slurped them all up loudly. He smacked his lips. "Mmm. Nothing like garlic and—" He froze, his eyes widening. "Garlic. Just garlic."

He grabbed a single small noodle and wrapped it around his tongue. "Not a hint of spiciness..." His eyes widened even more, practically bulging out of his skull. "Kay Kay, I have to go!"

Before Celestia could ask what was wrong, he snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

He appeared just on the edge of the sanctuary. As soon as he was there, his skin became camouflage-colored, and he snuck through the trees, his head whipping every which way. There was no sight of his lovely Fluttershy, which made his heart race with worry. _What if I'm too late?_

But he saw a semi-familiar face, busy checking up on an elephant. He hung upside-down by his tail, his head returning to its normal color. "Hello, Dr. Fauna!" he said cheerfully.

The veterinarian shrieked, leaping about a foot into the air. She whipped her head around to stare at him, panting and clutching her chest. "D-discord," she said. "If you're looking for Fluttershy, she already left for lunch."

His face grew pale, the color literally dripping off of it like liquid. He grasped her shoulders. "Where did she go to eat it!?" he asked, shaking her.

"She said she was going to the bunny burrows!" Dr. Fauna said. Discord let go of her, swinging around the branch before flying off in the direction of the burrows.

His eyes were practically spinning in their sockets, trying to catch a glimpse of yellow and pink. Then, he saw her. Surrounded by lots of tiny furballs, with her lunch unpacked...and the bowl of noodles already in her lap.

"Fluttershy, no!" he yelled, snapping his fingers to teleport to her.

Just as he reappeared right in front of her, her eyes widened. She already had a large bunch of noodles in her mouth, and she slurped them down out of shock. She blinked, then gave him a bright smile and opened her mouth, probably to greet him.

That smile fell in less than a second as her hooves flew up to her mouth and her eyes began to water.

She whimpered, and he quickly tore the noodles out of her hooves and cradled her against his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said, stroking her back. "I mixed up our noodles, I'm so sorry."

"It hurts," she whimpered, tears pouring down her face. "It really hurts."

"I know, I know. I'm so sorry," he said. He racked his brain, then snapped his fingers and made a large glass of milk. "Here, drink this. It should help—"

He didn't even finish before she snatched it out of his hands and began chugging it down. The glass was empty in seconds, and she let out a small sigh, the tears not pouring so quickly down her face. He held the glass as it refilled itself, using a silk handkerchief to clean her face as he whispered more apologies to her.

She downed two more tall glasses before she seemed to relax slightly, though he still rubbed at her back and whispered apologies. Slowly, she lifted a hoof to stroke his cheek, making him freeze mid-apology. "It's okay," she said. "You just made a mistake, and you fixed it. I'm fine now."

"But...I hurt you," he said, ears drooping. "It was more than just a small mix up. You took a bite of a dish that is too spicy for anypony to handle!"

She kissed his cheek, though the comfort he got from the gesture was lessened by the fact he could still smell the peppers on her breath. "It was just a mistake," she said. "And...did you come all the way here just to fix it?"

He nodded. "I thought of switching our noodles with magic...but if you had already taken a bite, that wouldn't have fixed anything. I needed to make sure you were okay." She nuzzled his neck, and he pressed the glass of milk into her hooves again.

"I'm fine now," she said. "I'm sure Celestia is waiting for you. You should go." He shook his head, pressing the glass against her lips. She sighed and drank, watching as it refilled itself.

After a few more sips, she said, "If you gave me some things to help with this...burning," she said, "In case it comes back...would you go back and have fun with Celestia?" He paused, tilting his head and stroking his beard. Finally, he sighed and nodded, and snapped up a small book, flipping through its pages.

"Okay...things that help..." he said aloud, snapping his fingers. He created a carton of milk, a container of yogurt, a small loaf of bread, a milk chocolate bar, and a pile of sugarcubes that were wrapped up in a handkerchief. "Okay," he said, holding his hands out to present them to her. "These are all things that can help remove the capsaicin—that's what's causing the burning."

He created a small saddlebag with a soft strap and wrapped it around her waist, stuffing all of the created items inside. "If the burning comes back, just eat any of those," he said. "Although at this point, I hope it won't come back..." He snapped his fingers, and with a flash, the noodles in their bowls were swapped.

"Can you try that for me, please? Just so I can be sure?" he asked, eyes wide and shiny. She tentatively gripped the noodles with her chopsticks and slurped up a small amount. She smacked her lips, and a small smile spread on her face.

"It's delicious!" she proclaimed. She leaned forward to kiss his cheek again. He let out a sigh of relief, sagging to the ground and laying his head on her chest. She took another bite of the noodles, humming in appreciation. He snuggled closer to her torso.

She lightly nudged his head. "Discord, you promised to go back to Celestia," she said.

"One more minute," he grumbled. "And another drink of milk. And a promise that you'll call me if things go bad." She rolled her eyes, but still took a large drink of the milk and promised to call if she needed him.

He snuggled into her for a little longer, until she nudged him again. With a groan, he pulled away and stood up. "Goodbye, my dear," he said, bending to kiss her on the cheek. "I hope your animals don't give you too much trouble."

"I hope you have fun with Celestia," she said, kissing and nuzzling his cheek. He held up his fingers, pausing for a second to take in the sight—her, with some garlic sauce smeared on her cheek, beaming at him with a loving look in her eyes. He smiled widely and teleported away.

* * *

"...and that's why I left so suddenly," Discord said to Celestia, who had insisted on hearing what the matter with him was as soon as he got back. He twirled his chopsticks in the air. "Fluttershy, the forgiving soul she is, didn't seem too bothered by the whole thing. If she hadn't been so adamant that she was fine, and hadn't given that promise that she would call if things went wrong...well, I probably would have stayed with her a lot longer."

Celestia smiled, taking a bite of her pizza. "Well, I'm glad everything worked out," she said. "You and Fluttershy...you sound so happy together."

"Yes, we are," he said. "I suppose I should thank you for pushing us together." He took a sip of the tea in his thermos, twirling a bunch of noodles around his chopsticks.

Celestia just waved off the notion. "I only gave her a little encouragement to show you some kindness. Everything else? The fruits of your own hard work, friendship, and love."

Discord paused. "Yes...I suppose you're right." He slurped his noodles, sighing out a tongue of flame as a chaotic burning sensation settled in his mouth and throat. A devious grin spread on his face. "So, what should we do after we give the apology gifts to Luna?"


	46. Half-Baked Bake Sale

Discord was hanging upside-down from a tree branch it the indoor arboretum. He held a book in his hands, upside-down from his perspective, and was reading slowly. _Is there any better way to spend a lazy Sunday?_ he thought to himself. He immediately chuckled and thought yes, there was—spending it with Fluttershy.

He tilted his head slightly, his ears twitching. On that note, where _was_ she? She had been digging through the kitchen cupboards after lunch when he had told her off his current idea for the afternoon. She had just nodded and said she might join him later.

Well, now it was later, and there was still no sign of her. He swung himself around on the branch and released his grip, flying out of the room and shooing the book off in the direction of the library. He started heading towards the kitchen when something else caught his attention.

A wonderful scent was drifting down the hallway. He froze in his tracks, lifting and tilting his head to sniff at it, trying to pin down the familiar smell. _Tea cakes,_ he realized. He licked his lips, rubbing his hands together. _Fluttershy's wonderful, yummy tea cakes!_

He shot down the hall like a rocket, skidding to a halt in the living room. He slowly peered around the corner to look into the kitchen. Fluttershy was in there, wearing a pink apron with butterflies on it, smiling as she flitted between a bowl of dough, the oven, and the tea cakes cooling on racks.

He licked his lips again, teleporting next to her in a flash. "Tea cakes!" he chirped happily as Fluttershy flinched. "There's no tea cakes better than yours, my dear." His eyes flicked over the selection, and with another lick of his lips, he reached for one that was slightly larger than the others.

But before he could grab it, Fluttershy reached forward and grabbed his wrist, shaking her head. "Sorry, sweetie," she said. "But these tea cakes aren't for you."

A shattering sound was heard, and Discord tightly gripped his chest, his head lolling back. After a few seconds to recover, his head snapped back up, complete with a large pout. "B-but why?" he whined, trying to make his eyes seem as large as possible. "Am I being punished for startling you? I'm sorry, please just let me have one of your tea caaakes..." He slumped to the ground, head hung low, gripping onto her front hooves.

She sighed and patted him on the head. "No, Discord. The reason I can't give you any cakes is because these are actually for the School of Friendship's Bake Sale."

He sniffed, lifting his head, his eyes still large and pitiful. "Bake Sale?" he said with a tilt of his head.

"Yes," she said. "I told Starlight I would make some tea cakes and take them to the school tomorrow morning. They'll have student volunteers set up tables on campus and around town to sell any donated goods, and all proceeds will be used by the School of Friendship...from maintenance to extracurricular activities."

Discord nodded in understanding. "Yes, that does sound important...but surely they wouldn't miss a tea cake or two?" His claw scurried up the counter, poised the snatch any of the treats.

She caught his hand again, giving him a stern look. "No, Discord." His pout deepened, and her expression softened. She leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. "Look. I'll let you lick the bowls when I'm done, and I can make something else for you later."

The tip of his tail wagged slightly. "Well...okay," he said. "I suppose I'll leave you to it, and find some other cure for my peckishness...unless you'd like a helping hand?" He stood up in front of the mixing bowl, which still had a good amount of dough in it.

She shook her head, nudging him away. "Thank you, but I think I can take it from here," she said. "Why don't you go back to your book...unless you decided to do something else this afternoon?"

"I choose the book," he said. "And I suppose I could go back to it..." He took several steps backward, eyeing the tea cakes longingly. He managed to tear his eyes away and focus on Fluttershy. "Goodbye, my dear," he said. She smiled and waved goodbye, and he teleported away.

* * *

Trying to keep reading proved much more difficult than he had thought. He was sorely tempted to find some way of sneaking into the kitchen, then back out with a few tea cakes. He always loved Fluttershy's cooking, and being told he couldn't have them made them look all the sweeter.

He quickly shook his head. _They're not for me, they're for the school,_ he told himself. _I get to lick the bowls later, and she'll make something else for me._

His stomach gurgled at him, demanding tea cakes be given to it now, at this moment. With a sigh, Discord sat up in the hammock he had made, snapping his fingers. In one hand, he had a plate with two steaming tea cakes of his own creation, in the other he had a mixture of chocolate and strawberry milk.

He grinned smugly, mentally patting himself on the back. He pinched a tea cake between his thumb and finger, sticking out his pinkie and taking a delicate bite. He chewed thoughtfully and slowly, his smile slowly drooping. He took another bite, a bit larger, chewing even more slowly.

He sighed and set the tea cake down. It was fresh, warm, and quite delicious, but there was something missing from it, something that made it pale in comparison to Fluttershy's treats. He knew it wasn't a secret ingredient—he had watched her make the cakes dozens of times, even helping out sometimes. There was nothing secret or special she added that he didn't know about.

He rolled his eyes. As corny as it was, the thing that made her cakes so special was probably love. He took another bite out of a tea cake, sipping at his milk concoction. He smiled. Now _that_ was something that had the flavor he had been hoping for.

He finished his unsatisfactory tea cakes and the much more satisfactory milk, then reclined in his hammock to continue the book. He managed to finish a couple of chapters before there was a knock on the door, and Fluttershy walked in.

"I finished making the tea cakes," she said. "I'm going to go wash up, but you can help yourself to the bowl while I'm out." He now noticed the flour and dough covering her hooves, with small flecks stuck to her chest fur and mane.

Discord jumped out of the hammock, licking his lips. "Thank you for telling me," he said. "I think I'll help myself to that right now!" He snapped his fingers and teleported to the kitchen in a flash of light, sending Fluttershy to the bathroom at the same time.

He paused for a second to inhale the sweet aroma that filled the room. Baked tea cakes mingled with the smell of tea. The tea cakes were all arranged on cooling racks on the table, looking quite delicious. But over on the counter was a bowl, one with dough smeared on its sides, one just for him. And then there was that clean bowl in the sink...wait, what?

He floated to the sink, holding up the wet and dripping bowl. It had been cleaned, and only very recently...and if the only thing she made was tea cakes, then...

His tail shook with a rattling sound, and he felt his blood heat up. Wasn't he supposed to get all the bowls to lick? But she washed one of them! He huffed and turned his attention to the one bowl left on the counter. He scooped out a large spoonful of dough and shoved it into his mouth, chewing angrily.

It was delicious, and his irritation slowly faded away. He ate a bit more slowly, chewing slowly and savoring the treat. His eyes flickered over to the racks of tea cakes, and the temptation to sample some rose in him again.

He shook his head, getting a larger scoop of dough. Not only did Fluttershy say he shouldn't, he still had a bowl of dough to enjoy! He stretched out his tongue and began licking the sides and spoon clean. Still, he couldn't quite tear his eyes away from the fresh teacakes.

He inched towards them, then shook his head and backed away, bumping into the counter. He scrunched his eyes closed, trying to just focus on the dough...focus on the taste and texture of it...focus on how empty the bowl seemed now...

His eyes popped back open. The bowl and spoon had been polished clean by his tongue. He groaned and slammed them into the sink, grabbing a soapy sponge and scrubbing them both, spilling suds everywhere. But even as much as he tried to focus on this new task, he still felt...so tempted!

He dropped the sponge and began to float towards the tea cakes. He fought with himself several times, trying to tug himself back to the counter, or better, to the living room and out of the kitchen, but his wings and magic carried him to the table no matter how much he tried to stall them.

He stopped and landed in front of the table. The golden-brown tea cakes were calling his name, begging to be put in his stomach. He shook his head. _I shouldn't. I shouldn't!_ His eyes landed on the cleaned bowl. _Then again...just one wouldn't hurt, surely? Just one to make up for the dough I couldn't have?_

His claw slowly raised up, poised to take something. He hovered over one of the largest tea cakes, then shook his head and focused on one of the smallest. _She won't notice it's gone..._ But still, he felt a little guilty. So he hesitated for another second before his claw slowly reached down, his fingers slowly and carefully gripping onto the treat.

Slowly, he lifted it up and tilted his head back. He opened his mouth wide, revealing his large collection of fangs, and began to slowly edge the tea cake between his jaws. He panted, already imagining how sweet it would taste...though there was that feeling of guilt in the back of his mind, its voice sounding an awful lot like Fluttershy...

"Discord!" he heard an angry voice say. He froze and slowly turned his head, seeing Fluttershy in the doorway, glaring at him. "I told you not to eat those!"

He frowned, his jaw clicking shut just a hair's breadth away from the treat. "Well, you also told me I could lick the bowl, and that you made something for me!" He pointed at the cleaned bowl in the sink.

"I left you a bowl!" she said. "And I _did_ make you something, even better than those cakes!" The tea kettle whistled, making them both flinch. Fluttershy sighed and moved past him, grabbing the kettle and taking it with her into the living room.

Discord stared at the doorway, slowly setting the tea cake down. He heard a few sniffles, and felt his heart tie itself into knots. He sighed and wrung his tail between his hands, taking small steps towards the doorway.

He stopped in the living room, hanging his head low. Fluttershy glanced at him, looking upset, before looking away and continuing to nurse her tea. He hung his head a little lower, shuffling forward.

"Fluttershy," he said. "I'm sorry." He scuffed a foot on the ground. "I...didn't eat any of the tea cakes."

"You were going to, though," she said. "After I asked that you didn't."

He bowed his head. "I...maybe," he admitted. "Probably. But I stalled for awhile, because...I knew I shouldn't do it. I was hoping you would come back before it became too tempting for me."

She frowned. With a sigh, he continued, "I...I love your tea cakes, Fluttershy. I felt a little hurt that you made so many for other creatures, but I couldn't have even one. I tried making my own with magic, but they couldn't compare to yours." He made a cat's cradle between his fingers, arranging the strings to form a picture of a butterfly. "And I did feel a little upset that I didn't get all of the extra dough, like you had promised."

Her ears lowered. "Oh...I'm sorry I made you feel that way, Discord," she said. "But for that bowl I cleaned, I did have my reasons." She turned and grabbed something from behind the tea kettle. "Here," she said, sliding a plate over to him. "I wanted to make it a surprise for you..."

He looked down. The plate had six tea cakes on it—but these were no ordinary tea cakes. No, these were her amazing, wonderful, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cherry tea cakes. His jaw dropped, and he could already feel a bit of saliva dripping from his lips.

"For...for me?" he said. When he received a small nod, he immediately grabbed one and bit into it. He sighed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. The sweetness of the chocolate intermingled perfectly with the slightly tang of cherries, and he was sure that he was holding a tiny slice of paradise in his hand. "So good..." he moaned.

"I really wanted for it to be a surprise," she said. "That's...that's why I cleaned the bowl I used to make it. I knew that you would be smart enough to figure out I made a different kind of tea cake if you saw it, since the dough would have the chocolate in it."

"Oh..." he said, ears drooping. "I guess I didn't think of that possibility...which I suppose was the whole point." She nodded, staring sadly down at the plate.

He held one of the tea cakes out to her. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions, got upset, and tried to take something I shouldn't have," he said.

She hesitated, but placed a hoof on the tea cake, brushing his knuckles as she did so and sending a shiver up his arm. "I'm sorry I didn't consider how my actions could hurt you," she said. "And I'm sorry that I made it look like I went back on my promise."

They pulled apart, tearing the tea cake into two equal pieces. Discord munched on his, doing his best to savor every bite, while Fluttershy nibbled on hers. He saw her inching closer to him, and copied her movements. They met in the middle of the couch, leaning against each other, Discord wrapping his tail around her waist.

"Am I forgiven?" he said quietly. She nodded, placing her hooves on his shoulder and leaning up to peck his lips.

"Yes, you are," she said. "If you had actually eaten any tea cakes, I might still be upset and have you help me make more...but you didn't. And you apologized." She looked down, brushing a hoof through his chest fur. "Am..._I_ forgiven?"

"From the second you gave me my own tea cakes," he said, kissing the top of her head. "And...would it be presumptuous of me to assume that the tea is for us, too?"

"No," she said, grabbing the kettle and pouring another cup, sliding it in front of him. "And...thank you for coming to me to talk about this." She smiled at him, and he offered her a silk handkerchief. She dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose, then set it down and gave a genuine smile, sliding the plate of tea cakes a little closer to him.

He picked up his tea cup and broke another one of the cakes in half, offering part of it to Fluttershy. She accepted, and began to nibble on it, while he devoured his half in two bites and took a sip of tea. Blackberry, a surprisingly good compliment to the tea cakes.

They sat like that for a while, Discord telling her stories and jokes to make her smile, and complimenting the tea and tea cakes to make her blush. The time passed quickly, and before they knew it, they had finished the chocolate cherry tea cakes and blackberry tea.

Fluttershy sighed and got to her hooves. "I should go frost the tea cakes now," she said. "To make them look nice for the bake sale..."

Discord jumped to his feet, snapping his fingers and creating chef's hats and aprons on both of them. "Well, what are we waiting for?" he said. "They won't frost themselves...unless I make them, but where's the fun in that?"

She blinked and tilted her head at him. "'We'?"

"Of course!" he said, reaching down and ruffling her mane. "You know I love to decorate desserts. You can't keep all the fun away from me, darling." He frowned and wrung his tail. "Besides, I...I'd like to do something to make up for the fact that I almost ate them."

She blinked, then smiled up at him. "Well...I guess doing it together would be pretty fun." She headed into the kitchen. "Just remember, it's for the school, so they need to be appropriate."

Discord followed, a halo appearing above his head. "Why, dear Fluttershy! Would I _ever_ do something like frost things not suited for young minds?" She giggled slightly, and he began to chuckle along with her. He snapped and turned the halo into a bouquet of icing pipes, and he bowed to offer them to Fluttershy.

She giggled again and selected one, choosing a tea cake that she began frosting. He chose another tea cake and began to frost as well, laying one of his hands on top of her head. She paused, but smiled and leaned into his touch as they continued to work.


	47. Nightmares and Comfort

Fluttershy woke up with a gasp. She quickly sat up, kicking the covers off of her, and took deep, heaving breaths as her head whipped around the room. It was dark, and the shadows made her want to shrink back and hide, but she kept searching the room.

Finally, she saw him at her side. Discord, who was fast asleep, his ears twitching as he smacked his lips. His lion arm wormed under the pillow, and he turned in her direction, snuggling into it with a few soft mumbles.

As soon as she saw him, she let out a deep breath, tears flowing along with it. She lunged forward and wrapped her hooves around his neck, squeezing tightly as she buried her face in his fur. "Thank goodness..." she said in a whisper. "It was a dream. Just a dream..." Still, she clung tightly to him, tears pouring down her face and soaking into his fur.

She whimpered a little, nestling deeper into his fur. He shivered when more tears landed on him, and she froze, covering her mouth with her hooves to keep herself quiet. With a groan, Discord suddenly sat up, and she squeaked and held on to him tightly before she could be knocked off.

He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, tiny Z's flung from them and out the window, and stretched, wrapping his arms around her. He looked down at her and frowned, his grip becoming tighter. "Why are you crying in the middle of the night?" he asked. "Did something happen?"

She glanced away as he used his thumb to wipe away her tears. "I...just had a bad dream," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you up...you can go back to sleep."

"Oh no," he said. "I'm not just going to lie down and do nothing when you're so upset by whatever happened in your dream." He placed his hands on her shoulders, adjusting her so that she was sitting comfortably on his lap, leaning against his stomach. "Now. Tell me what upset you so much in your dream."

She frowned, looking down and playing with her mane. He placed a hand on top of her head, stroking his fingers slowly through her mane. She took a deep, shaky breath, and said, "I-It was about you." His stroking stopped for a second. "You...you were a statue again."

She sniffled and snuggled into his fur. "I...I don't know why you were a statue, but you were. And you were crying...I tried to convince everyone to help you, but no one would listen to me. They all just walked away."

She sobbed. "And...and then someone was taking you away, and I tried to follow, to beg them to let me help you, but they wouldn't listen, and you just got further and further away, and—!" She let out a choked sob. "I woke up, and I was scared I lost you!"

She wept into her hooves, still shaking from the memory of the dark dream. Slowly, Discord wrapped his arms around her and began to sway, rocking her. "Shhh," he said. "I'm here. I'm here. Don't be scared, I'm not going to leave you."

She sniffed, her tears stopping, but her shaking continuing. With a sigh, Discord wrapped his fingers around her right hoof. "I'm right here," he said. She nodded, but still kept her eyes down, not really wanting to look him in the eye. With another sigh, he placed his paw under her chin and gave it a tiny nudge up.

"Please look at me," he said. She slowly raised her eyes to meet his, and he brought her hoof up to his cheek. "Fluttershy, do you remember what you used to tell me when I was scared about being turned back to stone?" He blinked, and his pupils were wider, and instead of her in their reflection, it was a scene of the two of them, back in her old cottage—Discord's head drooping, as she tried to hold it up in her hooves.

"You're here, in the flesh," she said from memory. He nodded, and the Discord in his eyes perked his ears up. "This is real. You're not a statue."

"And?" he said. His reflection seemed just as interested in what her reflection was saying.

"And...I'm going to do my best to make sure that never happens to you again," she said. "As long as you're my friend, I'll do whatever it takes to protect you from that." He smiled and nuzzled her hoof, and his eyes showed how he clung desperately to her after that. He blinked, and the image vanished.

He wrapped his body around hers, placing his hands on her shoulders and nuzzling her cheek. "Dear sweet Fluttershy...the fate you dreamt about me is not going to happen. We're both going to make sure of that...and our friends wouldn't let that happen to me, either." He bent his neck and kissed the corners of her eyes, soaking up her tears and making her giggle. "And you know that I'm much too stubborn to ever willingly leave your side."

She sniffed, then gave a soft smile. "I...suppose you're right." She nuzzled his neck, and he kissed her cheek. "But I...that nightmare scared me. I don't know why I had it."

"Maybe it's because you've been sleeping less," he said, tangling his fingers in her mane, brushing his wingtip against her spine. "I mean, the last few days...you've been waking up early to take care of more tasks, and you've been going to bed late because of..." He looked guilty. "Me keeping you up, wanting you all to myself..."

"Or maybe...I missed being with you," she said. "Because I've been so busy, and only able to spend time with you in the evenings..." She nuzzled his cheek. "I'm always glad to spend time with you, even if it keeps me up late," she said. "But...maybe you're right. Tomorrow, I can figure out how to cut down on my tasks so I can sleep in a little more...and have more time in the day to be with you."

"Oooh, I'll help with that," he said with a grin. "Now...why don't we lie down and go to sleep together?"

She bit her lip and was about to say she didn't feel tired, but he tightened his arms around her and uncurled himself, laying back down. He wrapped his tail around her waist, pressing them close together, still keeping his arms wrapped around her.

She wrapped her forehooves around his neck and snuggled in, yawning slightly. "This is nice," she said. "But...I'm still a little too scared to go back to sleep."

"Do you want me to tell you a story?" he asked. She gave a small nod, and he grinned, snapping his fingers and making stars and constellations appear on their bedroom ceiling.

He launched into a tale of Old Equestria, before even Celestia and Luna were born, animating the stars as he did so. She watched in fascination as he described his travels, and how he caused minor and major chaos wherever he went. As he began talking about filling an ocean with giant goldfish and an island with strange birds, she felt her eyelids drooping, and found herself slowly nodding off, using his neck as a pillow.

Just as she was between being asleep and awake, she felt him kiss her forehead. "Goodnight, Flutters," he said. "I'll stay here, always. I hope this time you have pleasant dreams." She gave a soft smile and closed her eyes, snuggling into his fur and placing a light kiss there.

The stars faded away, and she heard Discord fluffing his pillow and laying down. He began stroking her mane slowly, still with his arms and tail wrapped around her, until she nodded off into peaceful dreams, filled with happy memories of her and Discord spending time together.


	48. Something sweet to Bite

"Fluttershy!" Discord said cheerfully, poking his head into the library. She lifted her head, setting down the book she had been reading. "I just finished making something for the trick-or-treaters...wanna see?"

"Alright," she said, standing up and flying over to him. "But isn't it a bit early to set everything up? Nightmare Night is a week away..."

"I'm just getting the items ready," he said, snapping his fingers and teleporting them into the kitchen. "I won't set up the actual spell on your cottage until the holiday." He grinned, and took a position opposite her at the table. "Now, are you ready to see my creations?"

She nodded, and he reached under the table. He grunted, lifting a large pumpkin up and dropping it onto the table. There was a picture of a lollipop painted on the side facing her. With a snap, a vine handle grew on its top, and he grabbed it and lifted it, showing how easy it was for him now. Then, he grabbed the cut stem on top and gave it a twist...pulling it off. He nudged it towards her, and she peeked inside.

It was stuffed to the brim with all sorts of candy—from piles of candy corn and caramel squares to large swirled lollipops and chocolate bars as big as her hoof. The entire pumpkin was full of a wide variety of candy, and she could taste the sugar (and cavities) just by looking at it.

"Should I add more?" Discord asked. She quickly shook her head.

"This is plenty!" she said. "Maybe even too much..."

He scoffed and waved off the notion. "There is never a thing such as too much candy," he said. "Oh, and do you want to see something really interesting?" She nodded, and he turned the pumpkin over, spilling all the candy onto the counter—more than she had thought was in it, and more than the pumpkin should have been able to hold. He dropped the empty pumpkin and slid to her side, holding his breath.

"Three...two...one..." he said. When he was done, the pumpkin disappeared in a puff of orange smoke that smelled of pumpkin spice. He grinned and blew the smoke away to reveal a large pumpkin pie.

He grinned and clapped his hands. "Isn't this neat?" he said. "Anyone who knocks on the door will get a bunch of candy, _and_ a pie! Aren't I a genius?"

She smiled. "It is pretty neat..." she said quietly. "But Discord...don't you think this might be too much candy? And what if some kids try to get even more candy than they should, by coming back to the house again?"

"Again, there's no such thing as too much candy," he said. "Besides, any adults will probably monitor their candy intake for the next few days. It'll be fine. As for ponies trying to get seconds..." A devious grin spread on his face.

"The spell I put on the door knows who's been by, and who hasn't. If someone tries to get more than their fair share...they'll have a special surprise waiting for them." His devious grin only growing wider, he held up a black pot and slowly opened the lid a crack.

She immediately plugged her nose at the stench that came out, something close to rotten eggs and spoiled milk. Discord snapped the lid closed and vanished the pot, using a paper fan to wave the stink out towards the open window.

"And to make sure everything really is fair," he said. "The goodie pumpkins have anti-theft measures. Only the person who knocked on the door can grab onto it, and anyone who tries to take it from them without their freely given, verbal permission..." He snapped his fingers and made another candy-filled pumpkin, then placed a plastic hoof on the handle. He reached for the handle...only for part of the vine to suddenly uncurl and smack his paw away.

He rubbed his hand, looking pleased with himself as he sent the pumpkin away. "I think I've covered everything," he said. "What do you think?"

"I think..." she said, pausing as he shoved his face in front of hers, his eyes wide and pleading. "...that you've thought of everything!" Discord cheered, leaping into the air and doing a backflip. "But, Discord...what are you doing for Nightmare Night?"

He paused mid-flip and floated to the ground, filing his claws. "Oh, probably the same as last year," he said. "Dress up in a costume, get some candy, and go scare some ponies. Maybe team up with Lulu." He looked up. "Unless you want me to be the guardian of your pillow fort."

She scuffed a hoof on the ground. "Actually, I...I won't be spending this year in a pillow fort." He gasped, a happy smile coming onto his face. "I'm going to spend the evening in the sanctuary." There was the sound of a record scratch, and his face fell.

"B-but..." he said, lip quivering. "I understand wanting to spend Nightmare Night at home...but if you're going out, why can't you spend it having fun with _me_!" He paused. "And our other friends, I suppose."

"I don't really want to go out..." she said. "But last year, someone threw rotten eggs into the sanctuary, and toilet paper into the trees...and some black cats and snakes went missing." She shuddered. "When they found their way back, they told such awful stories of being taken just to scare other ponies...I have to stay in the sanctuary and make sure that doesn't happen again."

"Can't someone else be the lookout?" he asked. "If you wanted, I could do it, and you could stay at home."

She quickly shook her head. "Oh, no! Zecora and Dr. Fauna are both busy that night, and I couldn't ask any of the volunteers to give up their plans to help me." She grabbed his paw. "And...you've done so much planning for the night, I don't want you to waste it by doing something I should be doing."

"...not a waste," he said, gripping her hoof. "But, if you're sure you don't want to let me take over and stay here...in our safe house...in our cozy bed...where nothing scary could happen..."

She sighed and shook her head. "Nice try, Discord," she said. "But my mind is made up. I'm going to stay in the sanctuary for as long as I can, to watch for trouble."

"Bah humbug," he grunted, making her shake her head again and fly up to kiss his cheek.

* * *

The week passed quickly, and Nightmare Night finally arrived. Discord finished setting up the spell on the cottage, while Fluttershy prepared for a hopefully calm, quiet evening in the sanctuary. Discord helped her pack a pair of saddlebags (black with glittery pumpkin buttons) full of books, warm blankets, and several goodie bags of candy.

"Thank you for helping," she said as she slid them on. "Is there anything I could help you with?"

He grinned. "No, thank you. The spell is on your cottage, and I have my costume and pranks all prepared." His smile fell. "Are you _sure_ you don't want me to watch the sanctuary instead?"

She nodded. "As I said...you've put a lot of work into getting ready. I'd hate to make you waste your night like that." She adjusted the straps of her saddlebags. "Now, why don't we have a quick supper together?"

Discord nodded, seeming cheered up by the idea of being able to make a spooky meal. Screaming cheese on toast, corn on the cob that 'bled' butter (and in some surprising cases, tomato soup), peeled grapes with painted irises, bubbling cups of brown liquid that tasted like fizzy chocolate milk...and the main course, a haysteak that had been slathered in a thick tomato paste, with pieces of corn and cauliflower scattered on it. It was very spooky and a bit gross, almost too much for her taste, but it all tasted good.

"And now...for dessert!" he said with a grin, holding out a covered tray shaped like a skull. He whisked it off with a flourish, revealing—a pumpkin pie covered in chocolate syrup and candy corn, surrounded by caramel-glazed popcorn balls. "I know, not the most original," he admitted as he passed her a large slice of pie and a popcorn ball. "But these seem to be traditional treats...sort of. I figured it wouldn't hurt to give them a try."

She smiled and took a bite of the pie. It was almost too sweet, but it still tasted good. She complimented him and paced herself, while Discord quickly devoured several slices and balls in a row.

Finally, she finished, and with a sigh, pushed herself away from the table. "I'm going to head out now," she said. "Thank you for dinner...and happy Nightmare Night." He nodded, keeping his eyes trained on her as she walked out the door, pumpkin filling smeared across his chin. She went through the living room and out one of the portals outside, landing in the sanctuary.

Several animals greeted her warmly, and some black cats and snakes rubbed themselves against her hooves. "Hello there," she said. "I'm going to stay with you all and make sure no one can hurt you again." They thanked her, and all the animals started to nudge her towards a specific corner of the sanctuary.

They guided her to a small grove, where a pile of soft leaves had been laid under a tree. The trees were packed close enough that she wouldn't be easily seen, but there was still plenty of moonlight streaming into the spot. "Oh my," she said. "Thank you, everyone. This is perfect."

She sat on the leaves and covered herself with a blanket, pulling out one of her books as her animal friends cuddled close. She smiled and leaned back against the tree, reading parts of the story aloud to her gathered friends.

* * *

Time passed, the last bit of sunlight giving way to complete moonlight. Several of her animal friends had gone to sleep, while others had wandered off to scan the area. She had finished the first of her books and helped herself to a few of the candies in her saddlebags, and was just getting started on her second book. Even if she wasn't at home, it seemed that tonight would be peaceful.

A rustling in the leaves made her ears perk up. She lifted her head out of her book and quickly looked around, her heart racing. Thoughts of pranksters, thieves, or even worse...real monsters, flowed through her mind. But there was nothing in sight but the shadowed trees, her dozing animal friends, and the starry night sky.

With a few deep breaths and a sigh, she leaned back against the tree trunk and opened the book again. She tried to get lost in the story, but the niggling feeling that she wasn't alone refused to leave her. She heard the snap of a twig, and her head quickly shot up.

For a second, in the shadows in front of her, she saw the gleam of two predatory eyes...and a pair of glittering white fangs. She gasped, backing up against the tree. But as soon as she blinked, the shadows were empty, and she was alone again...though a few of her animal friends had woken up and were looking at her curiously.

"I...it's just my imagination," she told them. "I'm just seeing things in the shadows because it's Nightmare Night...right?" Seraphim frowned unsurely, then raised his head to yap at the others.

"_Search the area for anything suspicious!_" he said. "_This is no time to rest! It_ is _Nightmare Night, after all._" Several of the animals groaned and complained, but all of them got up and wandered away, scanning the nearby area. Seraphim gave a smile and nod to Fluttershy before hopping away into the shadows.

She let out a sigh, leaning back against the tree. It did make her feel better, knowing that her animal friends were all looking out for her...it brought back old memories of Nightmare Nights back in her cottage. With a smile, she opened her book back up and began to read.

But before she could get very far, a small drop of red liquid fell from above, splattering right in the middle of the page.

Her blood ran cold, and she slowly tilted her head upwards. There, in the branches above, was a shadowy figure. It seemed formless, and the only things she could make out were its glowing red eyes and sharp white fangs. She inhaled, but before she could scream, the figure pounced, and she was enveloped in darkness, pressed close against something thick and furry.

"What a fright," it hissed in an almost sing-song voice. "Give us something sweet to bite." Sharp fangs pressed themselves against her neck, and she gasped, squeezing her eyes shut.

The fangs slowly trailed against her skin, before meeting with a click and pulling away—though not without placing another tiny nip on her neck. She shivered and slowly opened her eyes as she felt the fangs leave her skin, tilting her head back.

A tiny bit of moonlight illuminated her captor's face—wearing a smug grin, with two fangs sticking out of his mouth, and red liquid painted onto his lips. There was a black cape tied around his neck, which enveloped both of them. She frowned, glaring up at him, and his grin only seemed to grow wider.

"Discord," she said. "That wasn't funny at all. You really scared me!" His ears drooped, and his arms fell to his sides, releasing the cape and letting moonlight shine on both of them.

"...sorry," he said quietly. "I wanted to do something to get you in the spooky spirit...but I suppose this wasn't the way."

"It wasn't," she said, leaning against his chest. "It was too scary..." She laid her head there, listening to his heartbeat and trying to calm her own.

"I'm sorry," he said again, draping his cape over her and stroking her mane gently. "I only meant to give a little scare...but I went overboard. If it'll make it up to you...I didn't come just to scare you."

She opened her eyes and lifted her head slightly. "Hmm?"

"I came to say that I had an idea to protect the sanctuary," he said. "I'll cast a spell of fog around it that will repel anyone, or anything, that tries to enter. Anything inside will be undamaged, your animals will stay safe, and the fog will evaporate when the sun comes up."

She paused...and then smiled. "That...that sounds like a really good idea!" she said. She frowned. "But I'm still not going to spend Nightmare Night with you, especially not after what you just did."

He sighed, his ears lowering. "I...I thought you might say that," he said. "But, I found something else..." He reached into a pocket of his cape and pulled out a flyer, showing it off to her.

"Nightmare Night: Treats without Tricks," she read aloud. "Come to Spruce Street, where all can enjoy trick-or-treating without any scares. Costumes allowed, but nothing gory, inappropriate, or overly scary."

She glanced up at him, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I...thought it could be fun," he said. "We could get candy together without you feeling scared...but I guess I mucked that up, didn't I?" She nodded, and he sighed.

"I can open up a portal and make you a pillow fort back at home...unless you want to stay in the sanctuary," he said. "Either way, I can put up the protection spell." He held his claws in a snapping position, his paw still holding her close to his chest. "What would you like?"

She paused to think about it. Her fright from earlier had vanished, and Discord seemed truly sorry to have scared her like that. He was sweet to think of her, and...it felt nice, being so close to him. "Maybe..." she said. "Maybe we can just go down that one street together. And after that, I'll go home."

Discord was frozen for a second...and then his eyes widened and filled with sparkles, his mouth stretching into a grin as he gasped. "You'll come with me and have fun!? You really will!?" he said.

She giggled. "Just for the one street," she said. "And then I'll go back home."

"Right, right, of course," he said, standing up and cradling her in his arms. "First order of business..." He snapped his fingers, and the dome of fog suddenly appeared over them. "Second...I think you need a costume, my dear."

He snapped his fingers again, and she glanced down at herself. He had given her a sparkling white dress that draped down her body—but it didn't extend all the way to her hooves, which now had white-and-pink slippers on them. She shifted her wings, and realized that they now had thin wing-bling that made them look like pink butterfly wings.

"Do you like it?" he asked, setting her gently on the ground, a mirror appearing on the tree trunk. She nodded and smiled, turning to look at all of it.

"I love it," she said, which made his grin become even wider.

"Now!" he said. "To that street! I'd take us there right away, but I want to savor this moment by walking to town. Do tell me if your hooves get tired." He started walking forward.

She giggled and followed alongside him, watching as he parted the fog like a curtain and bowed, allowing her to step through first. He apologized again for scaring her, and once he was assured that he was forgiven, but warned to not do it again, he launched into tales of his other conquests in scaring ponies.

She had to admit, most of them made her giggle...especially since he assured her that the victims had been good sports about it.

* * *

They eventually came close to her cottage, and she could already hear screams of fright and delight from the town. Before she could keep walking towards them, though, Discord suddenly grabbed her and dragged her with him into the nearby bushes.

"Shh," he said. "Watch this." He snuck a little closer, and she copied his movement. They had a good vantage point of her cottage, which was covered in cobwebs and creeping vines. Next to the door was a sign written on in red paint: _Knock on door. Take only one._ She peered out at a group of teenage ponies, all cheering as they looked into the goodie pumpkins they had received. The last one left knocked on the door, which opened, a thorny vine dropping the pumpkin into his hooves.

"Hey, guys," one said. "If this place just gives out candy..." They all grinned, and the oldest looking approached the door, lifting his hoof and knocking on it with a smug grin.

The door opened...but instead of a thorny vine, there was a hissing statue of Chrysalis. "_Only one!_" it screeched, sounding like a high-pitched version of Discord. Then, just as the pony's face went pale and he started to back away, the statue spat a green goo at him.

It soaked into his coat, practically glowing under the moonlight, and Fluttershy could smell it even from where she was. The whole group screeched, pinching their noses. She heard Discord chuckling beside her, the bush shaking due to his laughter.

One member of the group looked particularly angry. "This isn't fair!" he said. "We only wanted a little more candy!" He used his magic to lift up an egg, hurtling it towards the house.

Fluttershy winced and whimpered, but Discord reached over and placed a reassuring paw on top of her hoof. She watched as the egg sailed towards her old home...and just before hitting the wall, suddenly froze in midair and flew back towards the pony who had thrown it.

He shrieked and tried to run away, but the egg followed him, getting faster and faster. It struck the back of his head when he was almost to the bridge, making him stumble and fall into the stream. The bush shook even more, and Discord, unable to contain himself, began laughing loudly, the sound echoing through the clearing.

The teenagers jumped, looking every which way. "G-g-guys," a pegasus said, shaking. "Do you think this house is...haunted?"

They froze at the word, and Fluttershy saw Discord twitch his finger, sending a cold wind in their direction. A grin spread on her face, and she held her hooves to her mouth. "Yes it iiiiiiis," she said in her spookiest voice. "If you don't leave now, the consequences will be, um...diiiiiire."

The unicorn who had pulled himself out of the stream seemed to relax a bit. "Well, how are we supposed to be scared of a ghost that sounds like that?" He laughed, and his friends joined in uneasily. Fluttershy whimpered, her ears pressing against her skull. She heard a rumbling sound, and saw Discord's eyes had turned an eerie red.

"**Oh, was that not scary enough?**" he said, his voice echoing through the clearing. "**I guess you must think you're tough enough for the...worst stuff I have.**" He chuckled darkly, and fire sprang up between their hooves and the cottage.

The group screamed, turning and running over the bridge and back towards town, dragging their bold unicorn and petulant smelly friends behind them. Discord laughed evilly in his booming voice that echoed behind them...and once they were out of sight, kept laughing in his normal voice.

"Did you see that!?" he cackled, emerging from the bush. "The looks on their faces were priceless!"

She laughed and walked back out onto the path. He leaned against her, giggling, and she kept laughing along, until they were both out of breath and using the other for support.

Discord let out one last chuckle and held his fingers in a snapping position. "That was fun," he said. "Now...we've had a good walk, so why don't we skip the spooks in town and get right to our spook-free motherload of sweets?" She smiled and nodded, and he snapped, teleporting them to the "Treats without Tricks" event.


	49. Capes and Catches

Fluttershy yawned and sat up, blinking and looking around the bedroom. To her disappointment, Discord was not there—though there was a paper butterfly resting on his pillow.

It flapped its wings and landed on her muzzle, and she heard Discord's voice in her head.

"_I hate to kiss and run,_" he said. "_But Nightmare Night still calls. I'll fix a nice breakfast to make up for leaving you cold in bed._"

The butterfly flew up and landed on her forehead, and she felt the ghost of Discord's lips. She giggled, and the butterfly twirled off of her, landing and resting near the window.

With a yawn, she laid back against her pillow, staring up at the ceiling. She laid in a state of fuzzy half-sleep for awhile, before she started to wake up a little more, and rolled over onto her side.

As she moved, a flash of red and black caught her eye. She blinked, not remembering Discord adding anything to their room with those colors recently. She twisted her head to find the colors, focusing on the end of their bed.

Hanging off of the bedpost was his cape from his costume last night. Other pieces of it were scattered across the floor, at least from what she could see...and there was a splotch of dried red liquid on the curtains.

She couldn't help but shake her head a little. She rolled over, still trying to find a comfortable spot, but found herself shifting back to look at his cape again.

Seeing it made her remember the night before...especially of the moment where he pressed her so close against his own body, using that cape to keep her trapped in and shielded from prying eyes.

The memory made her blush...but it also excited her, much like Discord's actions tended to do. She found herself wanting that feeling back—of being wrapped close to Discord.

So she crawled under the blankets and twisted, wrapping herself in a blanket burrito. She sighed and laid her head on her pillow, already feeling more satisfied...to a degree. The longer she laid there, the more she was reminded of that memory, which made her squirm, wanting more of the feeling than the blankets could give her.

With a grumble, she finally sat up, moving to the bathroom to brush her mane and teeth and wash her face. When she was done, she came back into the bedroom, pausing in the doorway and staring a bit longer at his cape, along with the rest of the mess he had left.

She gathered up the scattered parts of his costume one by one, setting them on a pile on top of their dresser...and after a moment of thought, spreading them out a little bit, leaving them a little bit disorganized. The only part left was the cape.

She grabbed it, laying it out on the bed to fold it up...and paused. That memory, and the feeling it brought, was still bothering her. Seeing the cape looking so open and inviting like this...it made the feeling grow in intensity.

Slowly, she dragged the cape to her side of the bed. Then, she laid down on top of it, wrapping it around her in the same way that she had with the blankets earlier.

She inhaled, already feeling better as the soft cape trapped in her body heat, making her feel safe and cozy. The feeling was satisfying, and she found herself relaxing already...and there was something about the cape that, when she breathed in, it made her heart flutter.

She inhaled again, this time holding a corner of the cape close to her muzzle. There was a faint scent there—a familiar one that really did make her heart flutter. It was something sweet, but also like the air before a thunderstorm, and like magic.

It was Discord's scent, she thought with a soft smile.

She held the cape closer to her muzzle and inhaled a bit deeper. If she closed her eyes...with his smell, and the heat of the cape, she could imagine that he was there, holding her close to his body.

She shifted, trying to wrap herself more tightly while still being able to hold the cape close to her muzzle. It kept shifting in a way that made it hard to achieve both goals in a satisfactory way. She frowned...and then smiled a little, reaching up to clasp the cape around her neck.

It was quite loose around her neck, since hers was thinner than Discord's, but it anchored the cape enough that she could both wrap herself in it while pulling a bit of it up to her muzzle.

Laying like this allowed her to sink into a drowsy state again. She sighed, enjoying the warmth and scent, and curled up within the cape, eventually becoming sleepy enough that she began to nuzzle the corner of the cape nearest her muzzle.

"Enjoying yourself?" Discord's voice said from the doorway. She froze, and slowly lifted her head up and turned to him.

He was standing there with a miniature wood table laden with tiny foods in his hands, grinning widely. Her face grew warm, and she slowly reached up to unclip the cape from her neck.

"Too late!" Discord said. Before she knew it, he had pounced on top of her, pining the sides of the cape and trapping her inside of it. "You're caught, my snuggly pegasus."

She blushed, and still tried to unclip the cape. He caught her hoof with his tail before she could do so, grinned down at her. He slowly leaned down and pecked her lips lightly.

"So..." he purred. "You really liked this cape of mine, huh?"

She blushed. "I...it reminded me of last night," she said. "In the sanctuary..." His grin widened, and she felt her tail twitch against her hoof as it started to wag a little.

She glanced away to avoid his eyes, feeling her blush grow hotter. "And it still smelled like you..." she said quietly.

She felt him freeze above her, and glanced up out of the corner of her eye to see that there was a soft blush on his face, too. He sputtered a bit, then shook his head and grinned widely at her. "So _that's_ why you like it so much?" he purred. "In that case...maybe you should keep it. It does make you look simply ravishing."

Her blush reached a fever pitch, and she tried to bury her face in the folds of the cape. He laughed again, though she still spied the hints of a blush on his neck and ears. "I'm teasing, Flutters...mostly. You _can_ keep it if you really want to," he said.

She took a deep breath, feeling some of her blush go away, and pulled the cape away from her face. "Well...it is nice, but I like seeing you wear it. Maybe we could...keep it, and share it?"

He smiled softly. "Of course, my dear...but for now, I'm going to release you! Only so you can enjoy the breakfast I've prepared." He let go of the sides of the cape, and she sat up, propping herself against the pillows as he grabbed the miniature table.

He showed off how she could eat the tiny foods on it (mostly fruits that were barely larger than his fingers), and then placed the table so it was floating in the air between them, easier to grab and eat from. They munched on the meal, Discord taking dainty sips from a tiny teacup as she giggled, both of them relaxing.

But as the food dwindled, Fluttershy inched closer and closer to him. He didn't react to it or say anything, but she knew that didn't mean anything. He could just be baiting her into another trap...but she still had to go through with her plan.

As Discord was munching on a tiny banana, peel and all, she lunged towards him, throwing out the side of the cape and quickly wrapping it around his upper torso, hugging him close with one foreleg. He stared at her with wide eyes as she shifted her grip, holding his head close to her chest with both of her forelimbs and moving the cape so it would cover him.

It didn't work perfectly—he was able to peek through the folds and grin up at her, his surprised expression melting into a happy one, and his arms and lower body were sticking out of the cape. He tucked his arms to his chest, curling closer to her and pressing against her chest and lap to fit more of himself into the cape.

"Are you pleased with yourself?" he asked with a grin, as she tried to figure out how to stick her head in with him without uncovering him. He reached up and gently guided her head into the right position so that she could peer down at him, "trapped" between the cape and her body.

"Yes," she said, bending her neck down to nuzzle and kiss his forehead. His grin widened, and she trailed her hooves up and down his body, while he stroked her cheek gently with his fingers.

They spent the next few minutes gently touching and exploring each other's bodies, using their hooves and fingers respectively to stroke and caress, even using their muzzles and lips to be affectionate and get a better feel for each other. "...the meal's going to get cold," Discord said after a while, currently nuzzling into her chest and not sounding terribly sure.

"None of it was hot," she said, stroking along the bases of his horns. "Unless there's another course that's cooling now..."

"Maybe," he said. "Unless you don't want cinnamon-blueberry porridge..."

"That does sound pretty good..." she said. She placed a final kiss on the top of his head, and pushed back the cape to let him out, shivering as the slightly cooler air brushed against her skin. Discord rolled off of her, stretching and popping some of his joints.

She unclipped the cape from her neck and got out of bed. "You must have been out late last night," she said. "I'll go get the porridge so that you can rest a little. Is it in the kitchen?" He nodded, leaning back against his pillows, and she smiled and left the room.

In the kitchen was a steaming pot of delicious-smelling porridge, with blueberries floating in it and a group of tiny flames shaped like ponies dancing underneath it. She smiled and filled two bowls, remembering to grab honey for herself and hot sauce and caramel for Discord, placing it all on a tray and heading back to their bedroom.

She opened the door...and froze in the doorway. Discord stared back at her with wide eyes...with the cape held close to him, the neck held close to his muzzle. A pink blush started to creep up his neck, traveling all the way to the very tips of his horns.

"...it smelled a bit like you," he said, slowly putting it back down and avoiding her gaze. She paused for a second, then smiled brightly, approaching him and closing the door.

"So that's why you like it so much?" she said as she set the tray on the bed. "Well...maybe we should keep it. It _does_ make you look ravishing." She smiled and winked at him as she sat on the bed, and his blush slowly turned from pink to red.

He picked up his bowl, adding hot sauce and caramel. "...as soon as this is finished," he said. "We're going to have some fun times with that cape. Maybe even two capes. Sound good?" She blushed a little, but grinned and nodded, picking up her own bowl and quickly eating a few big spoonfuls.

They smiled softly at each other as they ate, the traces of blushes still on their cheeks. Discord used his tail to put the cape on himself, winking and blowing her a kiss. She felt her blush come back, and playfully shoved his shoulder. "Wait until I'm finished," she said. "This is delicious, and I don't want to waste it."

"Of course," he said, winking again and continuing to eat. She ate a little bit faster, just slowly enough to enjoy her meal...though she still tried to finish it quickly, her heart racing as Discord shifted the cape around himself.


	50. Ice Dream

Discord hummed in thought, stroking his beard as he stared at the selection in front of him. Cylindrical containers all called out to him with cheerful colors, begging to be the one he brought out from behind the icy glass.

"Discord?" Fluttershy's voice said to him from a far-off tunnel, jolting his attention away from the sugary spell. "Have you picked out a flavor yet?"

He blinked and shook his head. His wife was walking towards him down the aisle, pushing along a cart filled to the brim with animal supplies...along with a few tidbits for the two of them, such as books and stuffed animals.

He sighed and shook his head. "No," he admitted. "How am I to choose between all of these flavors?" He grabbed two and showed them off to her. "Orange-Lemon Swirl and Mint Chocolate Chip? Two flavors so unlike, yet each with their own unique positives to offer!"

He dropped them back in their places and sighed, stroking his beard as he began contemplating his choice again. "No other option," he said. "I'll just have to get one of every flavor."

"No," Fluttershy said instantly. "That was not the deal. The deal was—"

"If I help you on your shopping trip, you'll buy me one tub of ice cream," he said in a perfect imitation of her voice, a pink mane poofing onto his head. He sighed and it vanished, his voice turning back to normal. "I know. But...it's really hard to pick just one."

"I don't understand," she said. "You can make any ice cream you want at home. Why can't you just make all of the flavors here that you want with your magic?"

He stiffened up, a chalkboard appearing behind him that he used a pointer to indicate random spots on. "The point, my dear Fluttershy, is that a dessert that I don't have to make is so much sweeter," he explained. "And knowing that you bought it for me as a gift? Sweeter yet. That the ice cream comes from the delectable company Crystal Empire Cream?" He opened his mouth, a bit of drool spilling out. "Utter perfection in the form of a frozen dessert."

She just blinked. "Well...I guess that sounds reasonable," she said. "Still, you can only get one tub of ice cream. I double-checked the store, and I couldn't see anything else we need."

He sighed and turned back around, his eyes flickering over the containers. He was sweating a little, his brain working to figure out what he wanted. Fluttershy actually waiting on him made him anxious to pick, so as to not keep her waiting long. But the choice was still so difficult to make...

Then, he saw it. A combination of colors that simply sang out to him, tucked behind some purple grape-flavored ice cream that had piled up. He dug through the tubs, tossing them over his shoulder, until he unearthed the one he saw, flashing a pale yellow and pink color scheme at him.

"Banana Strawberry Bananza," he read aloud. He licked his lips. "This is the one. I'll take it!"

"That's nice, Discord," Fluttershy said, picking up some of the tubs he scattered. "Could you please clean up this mess first?"

With a snap of his tail feathers, the tubs he had tossed away flew back and settled into place. Finding the order boring, he sighed and snapped his feathers again, making the shopping cart grow metallic wings, as well as a seat big enough for the two of them.

"Come, my darling!" he said, extending his paw to her. "We shall ride away from this cursed land know as Re-Tail, where creatures become zombies if they stay too long!"

She giggled and took his hoof, and they flew towards the cash registers. "I don't understand what you mean sometimes," she said, shaking her head. "But I do know that you're a very silly draconequus." She leaned against him, nuzzling his shoulder. He smiled and wrapped one arm around her, using the other to direct their cart into landing at the end of a line.

He eventually coaxed it into doing so at the end of the shortest one. Its wings shivered and folded back against its body. "They'll fade away in a couple of hours," he said. "Moooostly. They _might_ be brought back out if someone starts screaming near it..."

"Discord," Fluttershy said in a warning tone of voice.

"Only if they're being rude to a worker?" he asked. She frowned in thought. "And no one gets more than a scare?" She hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded. He whooped and pumped his fist, snapping his fingers and altering the spell, adding a bit of neon color to the cart for fun. She just giggled and shook her head.

* * *

After a few minutes of waiting, passed by light cuddling, they reached the cash register. The unicorn working looked tired, and hardly batted an eye at the sight of their altered cart. Discord pouted a little as she robotically rang up their items and gave their total.

As Fluttershy was handing over the bits, and receiving her bagged purchases, Discord leaned forward to stare at the cashier. She barely reacted. "Do you like coffee?" he asked.

Her eyes lit up slightly. "I _love_ coffee," she said. "It's what keeps me going...if my shift doesn't run into overtime, which it always seems to do..." She scowled.

"Are you staying here for a while longer?" he asked. She nodded, her eyelids drooping closed into a lifeless expression. "Well then...here's a tip for you."

He snapped his fingers and created a large mug of steaming black coffee, almost the size of a bowl. The cashier's eyes widened as the fumes hit her nose, and she instantly drank about half of the mug in a few gulps.

"Thankyou!" she said. "Hereisyourchange, andthankyouforthetip! Ilikeyourcartbytheway!" She greeted the next customer in line enthusiastically, and Discord smiled, urging the cart to roll forward and out of the way.

Fluttershy smiled at him as he hopped out. "That was very nice of you," she said, taking his paw and letting him help her down.

He shrugged. "Overly caffeinated ponies are more chaotic than tired and bored ones," he said. He gathered all of the bags in his arms, then gave the cart a swat with his tail. It whinnied and rolled over to the rows of other carts at the front of the store.

"Shall we go home?" he said. She nodded, and he snapped his fingers, making them vanish in a flash of light.

* * *

Discord lounged on the couch, drawing on the wall with a crayon. Fluttershy had started unpacking their bags as soon as they were home—first putting his ice cream in the freezer, then—ugh—organizing everything in the sanctuary pantry. Once she was done with that, she would sort out the things she had bought for the two of them.

Until then, he was busy recreating some of his favorite memories—with inverted colors, in crayon, on the wall of the living room. He stuck out his tongue as he tried to make his biceps a little larger in the current drawing—which was of him carrying Fluttershy in his arms, placing his forehead against hers. After a moment of thought, he added a few misshaped hearts around the two of them.

His ears perked up as he heard hoofsteps from the doorway. Fluttershy walked in, carrying a large bowl of ice cream in her hoof. "Sorry," she said. "I was so focused on unpacking...I forgot to give you your ice cream." She handed it to him—a bowl full of glorious yellow and pink frozen dessert. He could already feel himself drooling.

She glanced at his drawings. "Oh, those are...unusual," she said, tilting her head.

"Inverted colors," he said, holding up a color wheel for her. She glanced back and forth between it and the drawings, and he smiled as he watched realization dawn in her eyes.

"Oh!" she said, smiling. "It's the two of us...with you holding me!" He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner," he said. "Would you like a prize?" He scooped out a bit of his ice cream and offered it to her.

She stared at it. "Oh...but Discord, I got that whole tub for _you_..." she said. He just shrugged and held it a little closer to her. "I don't know if..."

Before she could finish, he shoved the spoon into her mouth. Her eyes widened, and she slowly pulled away, leaving the spoon clean of ice cream. She chewed for a second, her mouth curling into a smile as her eyes drifted closed.

"Mmm," she said after swallowing. "You picked out a good flavor. You might have to eat it quickly before I help myself to more." He laughed, and she giggled, pecking his cheek and nuzzling him. "I'm going to keep unpacking," she said. "Then I'll come sit with you...maybe we can read a book together? Or make some more drawings?"

He nodded eagerly, and she smiled softly at him before walking back into the kitchen. He smiled and leaned back against the arm of the couch, taking a spoonful of ice cream.

He moaned as it filled his tastebuds with sweetness. Perfect. And somehow, knowing that his sweet pegasus could enjoy it with him, maybe even fairly soon...made it even better for him. He took another spoonful and devoured it.


	51. Five More Minutes?

Discord was purring like a cat, snuggling into Fluttershy's chest fur. She smiled and stroked his mane, smiling softly at him and placing kisses on his ear. He smiled and snuggled further into her.

As wonderful as this felt...she tore herself away from him and glanced over at the clock. "Okay, Discord," she said. "I have to get up now...I have a meeting with Dr. Fauna and Zecora this morning, remember?"

He pouted and looked up at her with wide, shiny eyes. "Five more minutes?" he begged.

She frowned. "Well...I suppose five minutes wouldn't hurt, if I eat a quick breakfast..." That was all she could say before Discord coiled himself around her, nuzzling her cheek and purring. She sighed and leaned against his neck, nuzzling him and letting her eyes drift closed.

After dozing for a little while against his soft fur, she began to place soft kisses on his cheek and the side of his lips, each one making him sigh and shiver, which she could feel as it traveled from his head to his tail, his fur raising slightly as it went through him.

After one kiss on the lips, where he tilted his head enough to meet her for a few seconds, she spared a glance at the clock...and saw that seven minutes had passed since she last looked. "Discord, I really have to leave now," she said, moving to sit up.

He grabbed her shoulders and rolled so that he was on top of her, pinning her to the bed. "Five more minutes," he said. "I'll fix you a breakfast to eat on the way...just five more minutes of your time..."

She frowned and squirmed. His grip was strong, but not uncomfortable...and being in this position made her feel warm, and a little pleasant. If she wanted, she could easily surprise him and push him off...but she found she didn't want to. "I...don't think we can do all that in five minutes," she said, feeling a blush traveling down her neck.

He grinned, showing off his sharp snaggletooth. "Oh...maybe not everything you're thinking of," he said. "But I can do quite a lot..." He bent down and nibbled her neck, making her squeak, her wings flaring out.

His hands drifted from her shoulders to her wings, teasing their edges, as his fangs and lips teased her neck. She squeaked and whined, squirming as the teasing continued, digging her hooves into his back. The action made him groan, and he pulled himself away from her neck, meeting her lips in a passionate kiss.

She grabbed his horns and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. He moaned, and she could feel his tail wagging, thumping up and down on one of her back hooves. After a minute or so, they separated, and Discord began to trail his hands lightly along her body, while she pet him wherever she could reach.

Time flowed by in a series of kisses, nibbles, and soft petting exchanged between both of them. It was only after a very passionate kiss that Fluttershy laid back on the pillow, panting for breath and letting her head fall to the side...that she caught a glimpse of the clock.

Her meeting was only five minutes away.

She yelped and jumped up, scrambling to untangle herself from the sheets and get out of bed. Discord yelped, startled, and jumped to the ceiling, where he remained stuck.

"Where's the fire?" he asked, watching as she tripped to the floor and rolled out of the sheets. A small blue flame appeared on his tail feathers, and he quickly beat it out, leaving behind a purple smoke that smelled like blueberries.

"My meeting!" she shouted, running into the bathroom. "Five minutes!" She quickly ran a brush through her frizzy mane, when she realized another problem—there were several pink bite marks all along her neck. She whined and dropped her brush, burying her face in her hooves.

"Oh..." Discord said, sounding a little guilty. He floated into the bathroom, his head and ears low. "Why so upset? I mean, you're pressed for time, but I can just teleport you right there..."

"This," she said, pointing to her neck, and the few bite marks on her chest. "I...I can't show up to a meeting looking like this!"

"I have a simple solution," he said, reaching into his ear. After a few seconds of tugging, he pulled out...a long red scarf. He bent down and wrapped his around her neck so it was tight enough to hide her neck, but loose enough to be comfortable (and drape over the bites on her chest). As he did this, two more arms sprouted out of his torso and began to brush her mane, adding in a little conditioner and hair glitter.

He pulled away from her, and she chanced a glance in the mirror. The soft scarf covered everything up, and her mane looked wonderfully styled in its usual way, with the addition of the glitter making it even more eye-catching. Though her face was still flushed, she could already feel the heat from it dying down.

"Thank you," she said. "Now, could you please send me to—" Before she could finish, her stomach growled, reminding her suddenly of how hungry she was.

"I can't let you go hungry," he said. "Especially since it would be my fault." He snapped his fingers and created a blueberry-blackberry jam sandwich and handed it to her.

She chowed down on it, and his extra arms wiped at her face and hooves with a warm, wet cloth as jam spilled on them. His original fingers snapped up a brown paper bag with a heart on it. "Here are some more sandwiches for you to snack on during the meeting," he said. "Plus some wet towelettes."

She finished her sandwich, and he handed her the bag. "Have a lovely and timely meeting! I love you!" he said, placing a kiss on her forehead before snapping his fingers and teleporting her away.

She appeared in front of Zecora's hut, and with a deep breath, knocked on the door, clutching the scarf a little for comfort.

* * *

"Discord, I'm home!" Fluttershy said as she came in through the front door. "Dr. Fauna treated us to lunch in town...but I still ate most of your sandwiches before that! They were delicious."

She paused in the living room. Discord wasn't there, and she hadn't heard a response. She looked around, and blinked when she saw a trail of neon pink petals on the floor, leading down the hallway. Curious, she began to follow it.

The trail led down the hallway, to a door she hadn't seen before. Wondering what this new room was, she slowly opened it.

Inside were pink and red painted walls, and a plush pink carpet. Off to the side was a babbling water feature with lavender petals floating inside...and in the center of the room was a large, round bed, where Discord was laying in a thin bathrobe, a purple rose in his mouth.

He said something, but couldn't articulate around the rose. Frowning, he spat it out and held it in his claw, smiling at her. "Hello, darling," he said. "How was the meeting?"

"G-good," she said. "Dr. Fauna...complimented me on the scarf...and they didn't seem suspicious of why I wore it..." She felt a familiar blush return to her cheeks. Discord grinned.

"Well...I thought since I almost made you late, I should make it up to you," he purred. "May I have...five more minutes of your time?"

She grinned, the blush spreading as she unwrapped the scarf from her neck. "Oh, you can have more than that," she said, tossing the scarf aside and leaping at him.

He caught her in his arms and brought her into a passionate kiss, rolling over and pinning her to the bed. She whined and squirmed as he began to kiss and nibble her neck once more...but leaned into all of his touches, and even left some bites of her own on his neck.

Her afternoon was free of obligations...so she allowed herself to give in to the throws of passion, and to drag Discord into them with her.


End file.
